


Human bound Fae

by pairatime



Series: The Jason and Hoyt Trilogy [4]
Category: True Blood
Genre: AU, Celtic Mythology & Folklore, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-27
Updated: 2013-08-27
Packaged: 2017-12-24 20:22:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/944234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pairatime/pseuds/pairatime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At last they're married and it’s time to start living their life together rising Joshua. Now if only the Queens of the Sidhe and the Dark One would get on board with that plan Hoyt could focus on dealing with just how long, or short, that life might be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Human bound Fae

**Author's Note:**

> The third and final of the major stories of my [The Jason and Hoyt Trilogy](http://archiveofourown.org/series/25239). What started over three years ago as a simple wedding fic turned into a near 100,000 word story that I owe to lj's love_vargas. Without her I would never have had the guts to write this or finish it so thank you.

The edge of the forest was always dark and shadow filled after nightfall, even with a full moon and a clear sky.

But tonight the shadows became even darker then moonless nights when the clouds blanketed the sky. But it was only for a brief instant, no longer then a single flap of a fairies’ wing, and then the shadows returned to normal and all as was as it had been.

Except for the man shaped form that appeared in the deepest part of the shadow and was now tumbling across the field until he landed face down in the grass, his pristine white clothing being streaked green.

“That was not to plan,” he muttered to himself as he pushed himself up, wiping off the dew-wet grass that clung to his clothing before squaring his shoulders and reaching out a hand toward a nearby shadow.

Frowning when nothing happened, the man pulled his hand back and reached forth with the other. Once more nothing happened.

“Damn you, Finvarra!” He yelled before looking to the sky, “Claudine,” his voice echoing, reaching everywhere, but again nothing happened.

“Claudine!” He tried again. But once more all it did was echo. “Why isn’t she ans-” he stopped mid word as his eyes widened, “Meb, My Queen of dark and cold your subject ask to speak with thee,” he chanted, flinging a dew drops into the shadows around him.

But as with every time before, nothing happened. The shadows didn’t darken and the drops fell to the ground.

“Damn him. May his leaves never fall and his forest grow warm,” he cursed, kicking at the dirt.

With another kick he spun around and really looked at his surroundings, taking them all in, “Just where in this realm am I?” he asked aloud, knowing he would get no response.

***

The lights flickered to life, their flames flaring to illuminate the hidden chamber as Diana pulled the heavy bookshelves back into place behind her.

The secret entryway sealed once more the Dark One slowly made her way around the chamber. Only twice before had she ever been allowed to enter the room, each time she had been with either her father or grandmother, neither permitted her to touch or look at anything.

But now they were gone and she was all that was left, Diana thought, letting her green boney hands glide over the spines of the books on the bookshelf. Books of dark magic and true histories that the humans had forgotten. Forgotten when the Sidhe and betrayer had tried to suppress them. But her family had saved the truth, they were her truths now.

As was the Apothecary cabinet, with its human heartstrings, powdered Wyld bones, Solanaceae roots and dozens of other ingredient. Diana knew as she ran her fingers over the brass handles of each drawer, reading the age worn labels.

Slowly she explored every inch of the room, trying to uncover every secret that her family would have built into their sanctum. Secrets that would normally have been showen to her but there wasn’t anyone to show her. Everything was hers because she was the only one left.

The blasted Wyld One and his dumb mortal had taken her family from her, costing her everything.

She meant to return the favor. She thought with a sinister grin as she picked up the skull of a half human Wyldfae.

***

“I am glad to see you and your beloved once more, Youngling,” the large willow tree-like fae Phellos said, her voice like the wind through her breaches and leaves. “Your last visit ended in such sorrow.”

“Yeah, but we showed them why you don’t mess with Wydlfae didn’t we, Galway,” Jason answered, grinning at the large wolf that was near by.

Galway looked toward Jason and gave his fellow warrior a happy howl and toothy grin.

“Damn right. Hey do you think you could-,” Jason started to ask as he headed toward Galway, but then stopped to look at Hoyt, “You’re good, right? If you need anything, just holler,” he said before returning to his jog after Galway.

“Your beloved is enjoying himself,” Phellos said softly, remaining by Hoyt’s side.

“He fits in here, he’s always fit in whereever he wanted to,” Hoyt answered, watching Jason weaving through the crowds of fae. Most of them looked nothing like humans but even with that Jason didn’t stand out. With a smile Hoyt let his gaze slip off his husband and toward Phellos. “He really is one of you. He’s at home here.”

“He is, for it is,” Phellos’s windy voice confirmed. “As his beloved I hope you will come to say the same.”

“Maybe,” Hoyt told the fae, watching Jason and the other wyldfae for a moment before looking toward Phellos once more. “Thank you for those leaves, by the way. They made my arm feel a lot better.”

“It was no trouble for the chosen of a fellow Wyld one,” Phellos responded, her voice light and pleased.

“Well anyways, thanks,” Hoyt repeated anyways.

“You are most welcome then, mortal,” Phellos said. “You’re beloved will miss you when you are gone.”

Finvarra choose that moment to appear, stepping out of a large oak tree. “A mortal with manners. Often a rare thing,” he said, cutting off Hoyt’s reply to Phellos. “But then rare things frequently find each other,” the King of Autumn added.

“Lord Finvarra,” Phellos said, her breaches dipping as she said something else that neither Hoyt, nor any mortal, could have understood.

“Of course, Phellos, the frost will not harm them.” Finvarra told his Wyldfae who then withdrew, vanishing into the crowd. “Fortenberry, a name that would not be unusual at my court.”

“For one of the tree fae maybe, Lord Finvarra,” Hoyt said awkwardly, watching Phellos go before glancing around for Jason.

“True…you need not fear. I wish you no harm nor will allow it again within my court,” Finvarra assured Hoyt, smiling at the mortal. “Phellos implied no harm to you with her comment if that is what you feared.”

“No. Well, I just…That is, I just…we don’t have kings or lords. I…,” Hoyt answered, or tried to but only succeeded in muttering under his breath, “Jason makes this look so easy.”

“If you asked him, I think you will find that far from the truth,” Finvarra informed Hoyt with an amused smile.

“If you say so,” Hoyt said without feeling, taking a small sip of the drink that Jason had found for him. It was sweet and strong but at least just smelling it didn’t make him feel buzzed like some of the other options.

“I do,” Finvarra said with another smile, taking a drink from a much stronger drink he had selected.

“What did she mean?” Hoyt said a few moments later, “If not dead, Jason’s not, we’re not. We’re staying together,” he said, wishing his voice was as confident as his words.

“I believe you two will stay together until death, and it was of death she spoke. Ah wait, mortal,” Finvarra said, stopping Hoyt as he wanted to object. “She did not mean you would be killed, but that time would carry you away. He is wyldfae now. Age will end your life far before it ends his.” The King explained.

“What?” Hoyt asked, taken by surprise. 

“It is the way of nature, but this is not what I wished to speak with you about,” Finvarra said, his tone growing serious. “I wish to give you thanks for your actions last time you stood in my court. You placed yourself between the Throne and one who sought to do it harm.”

“I did it for Jason, that’s all. That Throne seems to mean something to him, to me it’s just wood,” Hoyt answered honestly.

“I expected as much. But the fact remains you did me a great service, one I will not forget,” Finvarra informed Hoyt before turning away and heading for his Throne.

Hoyt watched him go, glancing at the small wooden leaf brooch on his own chest.

***Chapter One***

_“Beautiful night for a wedding,” Jessica cried, dabbing at her blood tears with her dark red handkerchief._

_“Oh for heaven’s sake, we haven’t even started yet and you’re already getting blood all over your mascara,” Arlene cried out, grabbing a wet cloth from somewhere in her dress and helping wipe Jessica’s eyes quickly._

_“Yeah I can’t have my best woman walking me down the aisle with blood on her mascara now can I,” Hoyt told his friend warmly, finding her hand with his own._

_“You’re right,” Jessica agreed, whipping away the last of the blood. “I can do this, I won’t cry anymore,” the young vampire stated with resolve._

_“Not until the fucking ‘I do’s.’ Lord knows I won’t be dry eyed then,” Arlene confessed before looking at the clock in the old parish church’s hallway. “But enough chit chat. It’s time we got this show on the road people,” she added pushing the first groom and his best woman toward the double doors that opened into the main room of the stone building. “Move it,” she hissed when the doors were only half opened and neither of the two had moved through it._

_“We’re going, keep your pantyhose on,” Jessica sassed back, taking Hoyt’s arm and starting them forward once the doors were fully open._

_Hoyt smiled at the byplay then focused on the walk, trying not to walk too fast but trying to just get up to the front already at the same time._

_They had barely reached the front and turned around when the others were sent forward, Tommy and Sam, Arlene and Terry, and last-- after what seemed like a long pause-- Jason and Sookie._

_Watching the siblings walking together, it struck Hoyt just how much they didn’t look alike but at the same time couldn’t be mistaken as anything but family. From their smiles to the way they held themselves and something else, some feeling he now knew had to be their fairy heritage. Making them stand out in a crowd. Not that Hoyt ever needed anything to help him pick Jason out of a group._

_It was always hard to take his eyes off Jason and he had no plan to tonight as his fellow groom stepped next to him. Their hands found each other and he didn’t even pay the father any mind as he started speaking. Hoyt hadn’t even realized the father had started talking to him at first._

_“What?” Hoyt stuttered, knowing Arlene was going to kill him for not paying attention but that thought, and all other thoughts, stopped when he turned to the Pastor._

_It’s wasn’t Pastor Blaylock standing at the altar, it was Finvarra standing before them and he wasn’t at the alter. There was no alter in sight or neither was the church visible any longer._

_They were standing in the middle of an open field of wild flowers with a single Wych elm tree giving the crowd shade. And it wasn’t the crowd that had been in the church. Panning over the audience he didn’t see a single mortal._

_“Wh-?” Hoyt started to stay, but the words caught in his throat as he turned back toward Jason._

_Again, other things had changed as he was looking elsewhere, it wasn’t his Jason, it was the golden haired and brazen skinned form of the other Jason. Staring back at him with wyld eyes and a manic grin, he stepped away from Hoyt._

_“He cannot be chained by any mortal, not even you. His essence will always long to be free, even as he longs to be near you. As you age and he does not, his longing for you will fade and he will be free. He is Wyldfae,” Finvarra said, his voice growing more and more distant as he, like all the other fae, faded into nothingness._

_“Jason?” Hoyt said even as his lover vanished into the over grown plants as leaves and flower petals flew everywhere, leaving Hoyt standing alone. “Jason,” Hoyt called again as he ran into the grasses and flowers, following the winding path that Jason had left in his wake, yelling out Jason’s name as he did, casting his eyes left and right trying to catch sight of him._

_“Catch me if you can,” Jason laughed, popping into view just in front of Hoyt for a moment before disappearing again._

_“Jason!” Hoyt yelled as he jumped forward trying to reach for him, “Jason.”_

“Need something bubba?” 

“What-hu?” Hoyt asked, shaking his head, letting his eyes adjust to the predawn light as he looked around his and Jason’s bedroom. Finally spotting Jason standing in the bathroom doorway, steam all around him, toothbrush sticking out of his mouth, and towel around his waist, Hoyt fell in lust all over again. “Jason?” he said shaking his head then pushing away the dream.

“You called my name,” Jason said pulling the brush from his mouth as he looked at Hoyt a bit more closely, noticing Hoyt’s smile, and flush skin “It was one of _those_ dreams wasn’t it? Fucking sweet,” he said grinning ear to ear.

“Jas,” Hoyt said rolling his eyes, flipping back the sheets and joining Jason in the bathroom.

“But I have no idea how you have the stamina after last night Hoyt, even I don’t know if I could go another round,” Jason commented before finishing off his teeth.

“Now that is something I don’t believe,” Hoyt whispered into Jason’s ear, wrapping his hands around the other man’s waist and slipping them under the towel.

“Damn we’re going to be late.”

***

“Where is that brother of mine? Damn him, he was supposed to be here an hour ago,” Sookie ranted to Sam as she dropped an armful of potted flowers in a heap in the middle of her front lawn.

“Come on, Sook, its Jason, did you really think he’d be on time?” Sam answered back with a half smile, digging into the sparse flowerbed next to the porch stairs with a shovel.

“But damn it all, he’s the one with the landscaping degree. He should be here helping,” Sookie declared stomping her foot.

“What? The cop has a landscaping degree? They have landscaping degrees?” Joshua asked as he came around the house from the back with his own armful of plants for the Stackhouse gardens.

“Not that he’s done anything with it in years, but yes, Gran managed to push him into getting it. Hell it may even have been why he ran the road crew as soon as he did,” Sookie explained, frowning down at all the different plants she had picked up, either from the Home Depot in Shreveport or from Jessica’s own garden. “And why he always helps me plant these in the spring,” she added, turning to stare toward the drive leading to the main road.

“And when has he ever been on time to help?” Sam repeated plopping one of the plants into the hole he’d just dug.

“The dude’s right, the Cop is never on time without Hoyt pushing him to be, not even for those fucking football games,” Joshua added himself, nudging some of the plants with the toes of his boots.

“I thought at least knowing they had to pick you up would have gotten them here. There was a reason our Sidhe bonding night with my godmother wasn’t on a school night,” Sookie complained. “Well I guess we’d better get started. If we wait any longer for my lazy ass brother we’ll never get this done,” she added picking up a shovel.

“Joshua,” Sam called, getting the teen’s attention then pointing to Sookie’s shovel with a glance.

“Fuck,” Joshua muttered under his breathe as he grabbed the handle from Sookie, “Here let me get that,” he offered with no enthusiasm at all before glaring at Sam. “Happy now?”

Sam just smirked, watching as Joshua plunged his shovel as deep into the dirt as he could. “Not so deep, the flowers aren’t that big,” he commented.

“Fuck,” Joshua said as an answer, pushing some of the dirt back into the hole. “Better?” he snapped.

“Sookie?” Sam asked, waiting for her to lower the flower she was holding into the hole, hitting bottom while still leaving most of the stems and leaves above ground. “Yep it’s better, now fill it back in Joshua,” Sam said while starting to dig the next hole himself.

“Dig a hole, fill in a hole. Make up your damned minds,” Joshua ranted over the next couple of minutes as the three worked.

But all three of them stopped when they heard the sound of a truck coming up the drive so they were waiting when a perky looking Jason and a sheepish Hoyt walked up to them. 

“Well it’s about damn time you two showed up,” Sookie chastised her brother and brother-in-law, “Now get your asses over here and help,” she ordered, handing the plants she was holding to Hoyt even as Sam and Joshua both thrust their shovels at Jason.

“Well damn hold your horses; it wasn’t that long. We just got held up for a bit,” Jason explained with a frown as he looked at the two shovels before letting one of them drop, dragging the other one behind him as he went to inspect the flower bed.

“It’s my fault this time so don’t blame Jas,” Hoyt chimed in, defending his husband. “I’ll even buy everyone lunch when we’re done,” he offered. “I really am sorry Sookie,” his voice apologetic, repeating the thought over and over in his mind.

“Well okay just don’t let it happen again,” Sookie accepted with a smile as she playfully batted Hoyt’s arm. “Now let’s get you to work,” she suggested pulling him toward the flower bed.

“And for fucks sake think something different,” Joshua yelled while frowning at the shovel being handed to him again.

“Watch your mouth,” Jason ordered, looking at his foster kid. “The school’s called twice this month about it already,” he said, looking up from the dirt bed with a frown. “Now which one of you put these plants here? Because it’s totally the wrong place for them, they’re going to get all the wrong kinds of light.”

Sam, Joshua and Sookie glared at him.

***

“My Lady, your majesty,” Claudine bowed, approaching the two thrones of the Sidhe queens as the two Fae held joint Court beside a frosted lake.

“You wish to speak with us?” Tatiana questioned the Summer Sidhe. The golden haired Queen turned from the festivities being held in the snow covered field adjacent the lake to her subject, signaling her to stand.

“Yes, my lady,” Claudine answered as she rose. “I wish to ask you and Queen Mab about my brother, Claude,” she went on, casting a glance at the snow Queen. “I have been unable to find any trace of him since the battle with the Dark Ones in Cnoc. Meadha and I have grown worried.”

“You need not fear for his life. Your brother was not slain during that battle and he still lives to this moment,” Mab replied, turning her icy gaze on Sookie’s godmother.

“Thank you,” Claudine said, relieved. “Where can I find--“ she started to go on until she was cut off.

“You may not,” Mab ordered, staring at Claudine unblinking until the less Sidhe was forced to look away.

“My Lady?” Claudine asked, lifting her head to look at the Summer Queen.

“You have your answer,” Tatiana informed Claudine, her golden eyes no less hard than those of Mab.

“Yes…Yes, my Queen,” Claudine answered, bowing her head again. “By your leave?” she asked, motioning to leave the thrones.

“Not yet,” Tatiana said stopping her, “You just returned from spending time in the mortal realm, with both your charge and the young Sidhe have you not?” the Queen asked to know.

“That is correct. I wished to help teach the young one while he is still young in human terms my Lady,” Claudine confirmed.

“Tell us about him,” Mab ordered, settling into her marble throne.

“Yes, what have you learned about the child?” Tatiana seconded before calling for drinks and other refreshments to be brought forward along with a chair for Claudine.

Claudine took the offered seat and drink before telling them about her time in the mortal realm, sharing as little as she could.

***

“Well I’ll be damned, you do know about other places to eat in this town,” Sookie said in happy surprise as she parked her car next to Jason’s outside of a small diner near Bon Temp’s main street.

“Merlotte’s is a swell place and all but you can’t eat at one place all the time, now can you?” Jason asked, pulling open the door for the rest of the group to enter the _Main Street Café._

“Yeah with you working at Merlotte’s it gets really hard to avoid your hints about eating at home more often,” Hoyt filled in with a smile as he came in last, kissing Jason when the cop mocked outrage at his betrayal.

“Yeah, and they have the best pies here,” Joshua chimed in with a grin, “the peach is the best.”

“Yeah that sounds like Jason,” Sookie said with a smile, looking around the Café.

It was a small place, half the size of Merlotte’s but its soft yellow and tan walls, potted plants and family themed photos gave it a homey feel that Merlotte’s never had. The smell of fresh baked pie didn’t hurt.

“Do they make the pie themselves? Why haven’t I been in here before?” Sookie wondered aloud.

“It’s new, just opened last month,” Hoyt answered, sliding into a booth next to Jason and across from Joshua as the waitress came toward them.

Sookie took her own seat as they were handed their menus and let the waitress take their drink orders and leave before continuing their conversation. “Well I’m glad you found it, even if y’all do eat out too much. You’re not being a good example for Joshua,” she lightheartedly scolded Jason and Hoyt.

“Yeah, yeah,” Jason said rolling his eyes at his sister, “how was the fairy bounding night? Learn any cool stuff?” he went on, looking toward Joshua.

“Oh-yeah, Claudine showed me this wicked trick, you’ve got to see this,” Joshua said, reaching across the table and grabbing Jason’s spoon and holding it flat between his with hands, palms pressed together before slowly pulling them apart.

At first nothing happened but then a faint light illuminated the spoon and the flatware started rising, floating between his two hands.

“Awesome,” Jason said with a grin even as Sookie frowned, glancing around.

“Joshua!” Hoyt yelled, louder than need be as he snatched the spoon.

“Dude I was--” Joshua started to retort but cut himself off when the waitress appeared with their drinks.

“Don’t mess with other peoples spoons,” Hoyt said doing some scolding of his own before turning toward the waitress, “Kids these days,” he added with his best smile, thinking at Joshua to just stay quite as loudly as he could.

“Don’t worry about it, are you all ready to order?” the waitress asked with her own smile.

“Just a few more minutes please,” Hoyt requested with a friendly smile.

The whole table was quite until the waitress was well out of earshot, and it was Joshua that spoke first. “Man, I didn’t see her--“

“It happens,” Hoyt answered handing Jason back his spoon. “Just be more careful, not everyone in this town knows about, well everything. How they’ve managed that I don’t know.” He said shaking his head.

“Never underestimate human denial, it can be a powerful thing,” Sookie remarked. “Some days I wish I could join them,” she added before taking a drink of her water.

“How can you say that, Sook? I could never go back to not knowing, come on it’s who-- _what_ \-- we are,” Jason stated. “I can’t protect you from something I don’t understand. I couldn’t protect anyone,” he went on, sliding his hand into Hoyt’s own, lacing their fingers together. “That and the other realm is a fucking blast. Fae know how to party,” he finished with a grin.

“Yeah, you fit right in with them,” Hoyt added softly, thinking back to the last party.

“Wait, what? You’ve been back?” Sookie asked in shock, staring at her brother. “But I’ve talked with you everyday? When?”

“I had a promise to keep to Bubba, which I made good on our honeymoon,” Jason answered smirking as his lover blushed, ducking his head. “And Mab’s winter thing will be a fucking hoot. Are you’re coming to it this week, sis? Wait…you’re a summer….I’ll have to ask Finvarra about that?” Jason said, trailing off.

“You’ll lose a whole day even if you’re just there a few hours. How are you going to pull that off? Andy’s never going to give you the time off,” Sookie said, still surprised. “And what about school?” she then asked, looking toward Joshua.

“We didn’t last time,” Hoyt answered her for his husband. “Jason and I…well it was a couple hours in the Fall Forrest and that’s all the longer that had passed here once we got back. The King said all Jason had to do was want it that was,” he explained for his husband, glancing up from his menu.

“What…okay Jason I really don’t need to hear that, you’re my brother,” Sookie said interrupting herself when Jason’s through about his and Hoyt’s second trip hit her.

“Really, Cop, keep it PG please,” Joshua begged, grossed out.

“Okay, shish, a man can’t even think in peace around here,” Jason complained, trying to think of something different, which meant he couldn’t think of anything but his and Hoyt’s adventure in the leaves.

“I had to deal with your sex life back in high school. I am not living through that again and you can just deal with that,” Sookie snapped at him. “Now explain how you didn’t lose a day. What did Mr. Autumn say?” she question them, wanting to know.

“Demanding much,” Jason complained again, rolling his eyes. “I don’t know, something about just wanting it that was, he showed me as much as anything else. It wasn’t hard. Now are we going to order or what?” he said again, nodding his head at the waitress that was coming over to them again, effectively changing the topic.

***

A flash of green filled the air, casting the trees, water and even the animals with a hue of green before fading, leaving behind the fainter green glow of the Dark One herself.

But within moments the swamp was quite and calm again as Diana hovered over one of the larger pools of water, slowly scanning her way from one side of the swamp to the other. “Llamhigyn Y Dwr,” She called out. “As heir of Spring I besiege thee, come forth.”

No answer came from the swamp, at first.

Then there was a rustling from one of the larger bushes. “Is that you, Llamhigyn Y Dwr?” Diana asked, approaching the shrub.

She was floating just over the brush when a squeal filled the air and a mid-size boar lumbered from the plant, snorting at Diana, who recoil form it.

Diana shook her head in disgust with herself, forcing herself to face the creature, “I will not allow you to scare me. I am the last of Spring,” she declared, staring down the pig.

The pig snorted again before turning around to return to its brush.

But the boar never made it. A long pink fleshy tongue shot from the water wrapping itself around the now panicked and squealing animal.

Two black leathery bat-like wings thrust themselves from the swamp. Ripples and splashes of water where sent everywhere as they flapped down hard. They were hard enough to push Diana away, forcing her to grab a tree to keep from being blown back even farther. With another flap, a frog’s head the size of a small bear crested the water’s surface. The frog’s mouth was open wide; its strong tongue slowly pulling the struggling boar into its depths. Crushing down it silenced the pig once it was inside. Replacing its scared cries with the crunch of bones and smacking of flesh.

Diana watched it all with horror, unable to take her eyes away from the meal. She almost fled when the monster turned its large eyes on her, flapping its wings to come closer, almost pushing her farther away. But she didn’t move, her fear keeping her frozen to the tree.

“You are not the last of Spring, Mortal Form. We are many and we recognize no heir to his majesty Alberich, King of Spring, Master of the Wyld and true Lord of All Realms.” The creature, Llamhigyn Y Dwr, told her, his speech nothing more then gurgles and hisses.

“His Majesty is twice dead and can never return. As are all other high fae, killed by the cursed Queens and the Betrayer and those that follow them. I demand your aid in vengeance,” Diana answered back, trying to float taller and straighter, to hide her fear.

“What do I and the other true fae care of you mortal forms. We live as we please. And not even the Betrayer dares command us. Do not presume to do so yourself, child,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr countered forcedly, lashing out with its tongue, striking the tree just above her boney fingers. “We care not for your lament. Leave my domain.” the monster declared, turning away from Diana.

“He does dare command you, he has named a new Sgiath,” Diana cried out, hugging to the tree tightly, even as she tried to glare down at Llamhigyn Y Dwr.

When nothing happened, no flap of wings, no snapping of a tongue, she slowly loosened her grip and floated taller to meet Llamhigyn Y Dwr’s glare.

“Explain, and explain quickly, child,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr ordered.

***

“Oh damn, I knew we were forgetting something.” Jason remarked as the three walked into the home.

“I’d ask why you didn’t do it yesterday but I already know the answer,” Joshua said sourly, taking in the state of the home.

Dishes filled the kitchen sink, stacked alongside the takeout boxes, while next to the door heading downstairs was a fair sized pile of clothing that really needed to be laundered. The living room looked no better with its napkins and empty soda cans and beer bottles scattered about.

“Come on, the sooner we get started the sooner our weekly cleaning will be done, it never takes that long,” Hoyt reminded the other two as he dropped off the grocery bags on the floor next to the kitchen counter, the counter itself having no room.

“I guess, Bubba,” Jason said, the light and fun tone he’d had as they had done their shopping for the week after dropping Sookie back off at the Merlotte’s for her shift gone from his voice.

“Well, I really should be getting to bed, you know they do recommend teens get 8-12 hours of sleep before school,” Joshua informed them, dropping his own bags before inching his way toward his bedroom door.

“Freeze, kid,” Jason barked, his voice stopping Joshua in his tracks. “Trash,” he ordered holding out a fresh garbage bag for the teen.

“Crap,” Joshua muttered under his breath, grabbing the bag. “Fine,” he said louder before slinking off to the living room, picking up the random pieces of trash he came across on the way.

“Okay Hoyt I’ll get the di--“ Jason started to say, looking toward the sinks until he was cut off.

“I’ll get the dishes; the floors don’t really need to be mopped this week, Jas,” Hoyt started with an affectionate smile. 

“It was one damn time,” Jason replied narrowing his eyes on Hoyt.

“It was last month,” Joshua said from the living room, beating Hoyt to the answer.

“Fine,” Jason huffed,” I’ll just be downstairs,” he told them, heading for the pile of clothes.

Hoyt just smiled, flipping on the water then pouring the soap, enjoying the domesticity of it all.

***

“Why should I care if you can’t keep track of your mortals? They’re _your_ pets, not mine,” Pam told the vampire standing before her throne, already bored with holding court and it hadn’t even been fifteen minutes yet. Almost a record.

“They didn’t just wonder off. I raised him from a boy, he would-- _could_ \-- never leave and she had just come to me that night. I felt his fear, then nothing. Someone killed them both,” Crystal, the female vampire currently standing in the middle Fangtasia’s vampire crowd, said.

“So? They’re human, they die. It’s something they’re good at. One of the few things they can say that about,” Pam told Crystal while filing her fingernails.

“I want revenge on whoever did it, no matter what they are. I want blood!” Crystal yelled.

Pam glared at the vapid blond for less then a second before speeding to her and slamming her into a table, fangs out. “First off, never raise your voice to me. I am Sheriff here. Second you’re a fucking vampire, of course you want blood, we all do. Now remember the rules and get the fuck out of my sight, all of you,” she added, turning toward everyone else, “Court’s over, we open to humans in five minutes.”

***

Sookie paused outside her home, suddenly feeling as if she wasn’t alone she spun around, her spray can of silver mace already in her hand as she did. “Who’s there?” she demanded to know.

“Peace Sookie, it is only I,” Claudine said, standing in the middle of Sookie’s front yard, which had been empty when Sookie had walked by it moments ago.

“Damn Claudine, are you trying to scare me half to death? Yyou know what I’ve been through, dealt with. Don’t sneak up on me.” Sookie complained, stuffing her silver mace back into her purse before turning to unlock her front door.

“I had not meant to frighten you,” Claudine half apologized, joining Sookie as they walked into the home.

“Oh that’s all right, I’m used to being scared half out of my mind…I would be more worried about that but except for the last couple of months it has been a lot safer around here,” Sookie said dismissing it as quickly as she dropped off her keys and headed into the kitchen. “I’m making some tea, do you want any?” she offered polity.

“That would be most welcome, Sookie,” Claudine accepted, following Sookie into the kitchen, taking one of the seats at the table. “How are your brother and Joshua?” 

“Well Jason is still Jason, he was over an hour late showing up to help with my flowerbeds. I know he and Hoyt just got married, but really, they had all night for that, was it really too hard to be on time. And then they couldn’t get their minds off it, Jason, I expect it, but Hoyt…” Sookie ranted about her brother while she got out the cups and tea tray, setting it out on the table, pausing as she got out the cream. “It was different, like he wanted it out there, but that’s not Hoyt,” she finally finished, sitting across from Claudine once everything but the hot water was ready.

“Perhaps he rather you overhear that thought than another, a surprise maybe?” Claudine offered as a possibility.

“Maybe,” Sookie responded, getting up when the tea kettle started to whistle. 

“And Joshua? How is he?” Claudine repeated that part of her question after Sookie had poured their teas.

“Getting better at not being overwhelmed. He didn’t complain once at the café we went to for lunch, Jason and Hoyt’s apology for being late, but the kid did try to show off with one of the tricks you showed us last night…which is when you last saw him,” Sookie said, her voice full of suspicion, “You’re not normally that inquisitive about him. You hadn’t even expected him to be there last night so what is it?” she asked, focusing on her godmother to try and pick up any thoughts.

“Sookie…have you seen Claude? Or heard from him?” Claudine questioned suddenly.

“Claude? Not since the wedding and what does he have to do with Joshua?” Sookie asked, confused.

“So neither Joshua nor Jason have made any mention of my brother?” Claudine asked, ignoring Sookie’s question.

“No they haven’t, what is going on. Is something wrong? Should he have warned us about something?” Sookie asked, now worried.

“I…” Claudine stopped for a long moment, glancing down at her cup of tea before looking up, meeting Sookie’s eyes. “He’s missing and I fear for him. He was playing a very dangerous game and I fear he may finally have gone too far. Queen Mab tells me he lives but both Queens have refused to tell me where he is and…” She paused again for a moment. “I fear they will not be pleased should I look for him too openly.” She added with concern. 

“What, really? What could he have possibly been up to that would get him in that kind of trouble? And is there anything I can do to help, because you just name it and I will,” Sookie said in a rush, grabbing Claudine’s hand with her own.

“I was so hoping you would say that, Sookie. I will keep looking but if he is in this realm or can make his way to it he will come here, to Bon Temp. And if he does--“ Claudine answered, her voice hopeful.

“I’ll tell you right away of course, the moment he walks through those doors,” Sookie reassured her fairy godmother.

“Thank you. It is a relief to know. But he may not come here, to you, Sookie,” Claudine answered, hesitating again.

“What? Why else would he come to Bon Temp then? Who else?” Sookie wondered aloud.

“It is likely your brother that would see him first. Claude and your brother… are not unlinked,” Claudine tried to explain without sharing Claude’s secretes, or revealing his actions.

“Is this about the King, Finvarra, calling Meb his partner, opposite or something? Are winter Sidhe and Wyldfae connected somehow?” Sookie asked, puzzled as she took a sip of her cooling tea.

“Lord Finvarra does share kinship more with Queen Mab than her Lady, yes. And that is not all there is, but for now I can say no more,” Claudine told her charge, unwilling to deceive her but also unwilling to share.

“It’s part of what got him into trouble isn’t it?” Sookie asked before shaking her head. “You know what, never mind, I don’t need to know but I will ask Jason and Hoyt to keep an eye out. Who knows what they’ll spot.”

“Thank you again. Knowing you are willing to help is of great comfort,” Claudine said with a hopeful smile, taking a drink from her tea.

***

Claude glared at the tan truck that barreled past him.

The winter fae threw his hand out at the vehicle, imaging what he would do to it if he were able to use his powers. The thought of the truck rolling end over end down the two lane road lightened his mood as he continued walking down the road toward Louisiana.

The mortal realm was just too large.

***Chapter Two

Hoyt pulled off his hardhat and wiped his forehead as he looked at the digging equipment, the broken digging equipment.

“It was just repaired last week. This is the first time it’s been used and you’re telling me it’s already broke?” Hoyt clarified, turning the key and listening as the engine stuttered to life only to putter out again moments later.

“I don’t know what to say, Sir,” Alex told his boss with a grimace at the machine. “We brought it out here and then started it up first thing this morning. It worked fine for about half an hour,” he explained, pointing to the four yard ditch that they had carved out that morning.

Hoyt kicked at the offending machine, making a loud bang, then asking “So it was working, going well. Then what happened?” 

“We stopped it to deal with a rock, cleared that out of the way then went back to the digger and well…” Alex finished with a shrug and a frown.

“And that’s when it wouldn’t work,” Hoyt said, nodding. “The same thing happened last time. This ditch is three months behind schedule,” he complained, getting out of the digger, popping open the hood. “Anything obvious?”

“We checked it out as best we could. Ryan’s even a fair hand at engines but he couldn’t see anything, not without really tearing it apart and this ain’t the place for that,” Alex answered his boss, pointing out Ryan before gesturing to the mostly empty forested road side.

“No it’s not, the garage always has to tear it apart to find out what’s wrong,” Hoyt said, dismissing it. “What can you do without it? We are just way too behind...” he asked, walking toward the hill the road crew was trying to dig the ditch through.

“Well, we could work on clearing out the lowland. Make sure that when we do get the ditch done the water has somewhere to go,” Alex suggested as the two reached the top of the small ridge and surveyed the depression that would help keep the roads clear of water during a heavy rain.

“Good, good. That should keep your crew busy the rest of the da--” Hoyt responded, estimating how long clearing out the dead fall and cutting back some of the larger trees would take Alex’s crew while walking through the area, cutting himself off when he saw something moving in the bushes. ”What’s that?”

“What’s what?” Alex asked, looking up from the clipboard he was making his notes on. “You’d think all the wildlife would have got scared off by the racket we were making earlier,” he added, giving the area a once over.

Hoyt gave the bush another, just enough to see a furry tail and a blue butterfly like wing flashing between the leaves and branches. “What the hell…Alex why don’t you tell the guys you’re all on lunch early,” he ordered, waving back toward the road.

“You sure?” Alex asked, grinning at the nod he got from a distracted Hoyt. “Sure thing Boss,” he added wasting no time legging it back to the road to share the news with the other men of his crew.

Hoyt waited until Alex was out of sight before taking a closer look at the bush. Once more he was able to just catch the flash of a tail or the flutter of a wing but he could see nothing more beyond glimpse in the corner of his eye, “Hello? Anyone in there?” Hoyt said at last.

“Of course no one is there Hoyt,” Hoyt told himself right after, rolling his eyes as he turned around intent on returning to the road and the road crew.

But he didn’t make it more than a single step.

The bush rustled behind him. Only he didn’t just hear the sound of leaves and twigs moving, there was also a clicking sound almost like that of a chipmunk, only Hoyt was fairly sure it wasn’t a chipmunk.

And he was proven right when he turned around and saw something that clearly wasn’t a chipmunk. It had the tail of one, even the body and face of one mostly. But the light blue butterfly wings and the orange glowing eyes set it apart from any chipmunk Hoyt knew about and it was hovering in front of the bush at about waist height.

“You’re a fairy aren’t you?” he asked the not-chipmunk.

The creature responded with rapid clicking and chatting, whooshing back the forth.

“Hold on, whoa slow down, I don’t speak fairy. I don’t know anything your saying,” Hoyt half yelled holding up his hands.

The creature went quiet and seemed to pout and look sad as he hung in the air before Hoyt.

“But you can understand me can’t you?” Hoyt asked, the answer confirmed when the fae-chipmunk started clicking and chatting again, much slower this time.

“Well I still can’t understand you but…” Hoyt paused and thought for a moment, studying the fae as it seemed to study him until an idea came to him. “How about this, I’ll ask yes or no questions, if it’s no you float this way,” he pointed to his left, “and if he’s yes you go that way,” pointing to the right. “That work?” he asked.

The fae-chipmunk darted to the right before returning to the middle.

“Well, now we’re getting somewhere. Now what to ask. Basics, you are a fairy right?” Hoyt asked, the fae-chipmunk went right again, “Good, the last thing this town needs is something new. Are you a s… Sid-he fairy?”

Hoyt took a step back at the outburst of what was plainly angry chatter that accompanied the flash to the left, “Okay clearly not and you don’t like being called one. You’re Wyldfae when? A Fall one?” he let out a breath as the fae-chipmunk seemed to calm down and drift to the right, staying there.

“Your showing yourself because of this aren’t you?” Hoyt asked, taping the wooden leaf on the upper left of his coat. The Wyldfae reminded on the right.

“You know I’m not a fairy of any type. You get I’m mortal?” Hoyt asked and even on the non-human face he could see just how ridiculous the fae saw his question. “Of course you know I’m mortal. You’re not dumb just because you don’t speak English. I need Jason.”

At the mention of Jason’s name the fae-chipmunk became excited and started chirping and clicking loudly, flying all about.

“Hey, keep it down. I’m not the only mortal around, you know,” Hoyt barked, glancing back toward the road before turning back toward the more subdue but still excited fae. “You want to talk with Jason?” the fae moved to the right. “Can’t you just go talk with him?” moved to the left, “can you leave here?” still on the left. “He needs to come to you,” floating to the right, “I can do that…are you the reason our equipment keeps having trouble?” Hoyt said, asking once last question.

The creature may have stayed in the middle but Hoyt didn’t miss that it suddenly wasn’t looking at him anymore, but was in fact looking everywhere else. “I’ll try and be back with Jas tonight…don’t break anything else until then.” Hoyt told the fae-chipmunk with a half hearted glare.

He was glad the fae-chipmunk floated to the right but now he had to think of how to get the crew moved somewhere else, and away from the fairy.

***

“Why do you enter my waters, Llamhigyn Y Dwr, and with a human form on,” came the low growl, almost like a crocodile, though Diana could not see signs of any crocodile or other creature.

“The false lord has named a Sgiath, Addanc,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr gurgled and croaked as it floated above the marsh lake, its leathery bat wings creating ripples across the water’s surface.

Which was why Diana hadn’t seen Addanc before. For when the spring Wyldfae roared in anger and rage, opening its large crocodile snout and mouth, she realized it had been on the surface and visible the whole time, she had just not seen him.

“He dares. The weakly king dares,” Addanc roared even more, splashing the water with his wide beaver tail as he thrashed in anger. “This will not be born,” it declared.

“No, Addanc, it will not be,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr agreed. “We will stop the Sgiath, split his body and feed his essence to Y Diawl and then the Betrayer will be dealt with. Will you aid me?”

“Yes, Llamhigyn Y Dwr. This world is ours,” Addanc cried out giving the lake another slap. “And none shall take it, be they mortal or Fae,” it stated loudly.

It made Diana’s already cold blood run colder, and made her grin.

***

“You can’t really be holding that against me, it’s not like it was my fault. I had no idea time worked differently there,” Jason defended himself to Andy, trying to get moved to a different shift on the new schedule that started the next month.

“I ended up in a fucking fairy world. Who else should I blame, Stackhouse?” Andy complained, pulling off his Sheriff’s hat, fidgeting with it in his hands, glancing around his office and not looking at his deputy. “Look, Jason, I don’t want to talk about…that place.”

“It’s not that bad, and once the time thing’s under control-“

“Just don’t be late and don’t tell me anything about it, just don’t Stackhouse. Now get out of my office and I’ll think about giving you a day shift next month,” Andy relented just trying to get Jason to leave.

“Really?” Jason asked, surprised. “That’s great. Being able to get up with Hoyt when it’s not my day off would be--“

“Stackhouse!,” Andy barked, cutting through Jason’s rambling. “Out, now,” he ordered, pointing to his office door.

“Right, leaving, right now,” Jason said, heading for the door, turning just before reaching it. “And a Tuesdays, day shift?” he threw out before ducking out the door just in time to miss the something Andy had thrown at him.

Jason ignored the faint sound of Andy cursing him coming from the Sheriff’s office and started heading right toward the front, quickening his pace when he heard Hoyt’s voice drifting down the hall.

“I know he’s not on shift, but his truck is right outside so is he here or not?” Hoyt demanded of Kevin for the third time just as Jason walked into the main lobby of the station.

“I don’t know, I haven’t see-- he is here,” Kevin commented in surprise, seeing Jason.

“Clearly,” Hoyt said, almost snapping but not quite, turning from Kevin toward his man. “Jas, don’t you ever answer your phone?” he questioned, pulling Jason into a hug,

“Damn did it die again?” Jason asked rhetorically, pulling out his phone and pushing the power button only for nothing to happen. “Man, I don’t think it likes going back and forth, it’s just killing the battery on this thing,” he complained, shoving his phone back into his pocket.

“Well, we can deal with that later, we have somewhere to get to right now,” Hoyt told Jason as he started dragging him toward the doors leading to the parking lot and their vehicles.

“Don’t worry, Bubba, it only takes 5 minutes to get to the school and Joshua won’t be out for another 15 at least,” Jason said, trying to relax Hoyt, misunderstanding where Hoyt meant for them to go. “And should you be working? You’re never off in time to pick him up…” he then asked out of curiosity.

“Joshua, right,” Hoyt mumbled, stopping just outside the doors of the station, “We’ll take your truck, pick up Joshua, then head out to the bend in Jefferson road,” Hoyt explained, working it out in his head. “I took the afternoon. There’s something we need to deal with,” he added.

“Something fun? I can make it quick before we pick up Joshua,” Jason said back with a wide and sexy grin.

Hoyt smiled in return. “We’re not making Joshua wait.” He stated cuffing the back of Jason’s head. “Now get into the truck,” he added.

Jason grinned even brighter and did as he was told.

***

“I feel for the mortal,” Tatiana said as she watched Jason and Hoyt sit outside Bon Temp High school for Joshua on the surface of a wide stone well filled to the brim with crystal clear water that glowed from beneath, illuminating not only the images that played across it but also the smooth stone cave it was nestled in.

The image of Jason and Hoyt sitting outside Bon Temp High school while they waited for Joshua played over the surface of a wide stone well filled to the brim with crystal clear water. The waters glowed from beneath, illuminating not only the images that played across it but also the two Sidhe Queens and the smooth stone cave they were all nestled, “I feel for the mortal,” Tatiana said thoughrfully as she watched the image.

“He is mortal, what does he matter,” Mab said in return, glancing at the waters before looking back at her fellow Queen.

“He is a mortal with a caring heart. He would pass a test of kindness should one of my fae have put him to it,” Tatiana explained, shifting the pool to show random moments from Hoyt’s life with a wave of her hand.

It showed him sharing his lunch with another who had none as a child, holding a friend when she needed comfort and turning down her offer of more when she made it as a teen, holding doors for seniors or women, grabbing items off the higher shelves at stores for others when a man. Nothing world changing, just small acts of kindness and respect for others.

“Maybe he would. But he is bonded to the Wyldfae, bound by love. His caring heart is destined to break,” Mab pointed out, staring dispassionately at the image of the two men the well now showed. “His acts of kindness will become acts of contempt, fueled by bitterness and loneliness.”

“Maybe…maybe not. Something could be done,” Tatiana offered, looking over at the Winter Sidhe.

“What could be done? The Wyld One will leave him as the mortal ages and he does not. That is if his restless nature does not drive him to another before then. The mortal’s heart is as good as broken already, and has been for some years,” Mab responded, shifting the water to show a party from Hoyt’s and Jason’s High school years. Jason was laying in the grass passed out from drinking, like most of those around them, while Hoyt balled up his jacket and pushed it under Jason’s head before curling up on the grass about a foot and a half from him, watching the man he would one day call husband sleep with his arms wrapped around the woman he had had sex with moments before. “If it ever wasn’t broken,” she added softly.

“Maybe…maybe not,” Tatiana repeated, studying the image.

***

“Want to finally tell me why we’re heading to the cursed part of Jefferson road there Bubba?” Jason asked as they left the proper part of the town and headed down Jefferson road.

“Cursed? Are we talking witch’s curse or something else?” Joshua cut in from the back seat, sticking his head between the two men in the front of the truck.

“No, it’s not a real curse, it’s just bad luck,” Jason dismissed the idea before going on to explain, “Equipment breaking down, things going missing, working getting delayed all the time. It happens at other sites too.”

“But not for over ten years,” Hoyt countered, “but, no, it’s not really a curse, it’s one of you Wyldfae causing more problems.” He answered, getting to the root of their sudden drive out to the area, just as he pulled to the side of the road where the Road Crew had been working--or trying to--earlier that day.

“Wyldfae? You saw a fae here? That rocks!” Joshua exclaimed, all but jumping from the truck, glancing about.

“We don’t always cause problems,” Jason bemoan softly as he also get out of the truck, a bit slower then Joshua. “Did any of the others see him?” the mortal form Wyldfae asked, speaking a bit louder.

“No, he kept himself out of sight until I was alone. This is the only reason he even showed himself to me.” Hoyt elaborated, tapping the leaf on his chest while looking at the one on Jason’s.

“Then he shouldn’t have a problem showing himself again. So which way?” Jason asked, smiling amusedly at Joshua who was peaking into every bush and under every rock, calling for the Wyldfae like he was calling a dog.

“Right over the hill, right where we planned on putting the runoff drain so the road wouldn’t flood in a heavy rain,” Hoyt told his lover, leading them to the bush the Wyldfae had been hidden in earlier. “Hello again, I brought Jason,” he called out as they neared it.

“Fucking cool.”

Joshua’s shout from behind them shocked the not-chipmunk, which had just started to come out of the bush far enough for Jason and Joshua to see the orange glowing eyes and butterfly wings on the chipmunk body, darting back between the leaves and breaches of the shrub. And getting the teen a couple of looks.

“My bad, didn’t mean to scare it,” Joshua apologized at once, backing up with his hands up. “But did you get a load of it?” he just had to add.

“Come on out buddy. We won’t let the kid scream again,” Jason reassured the other Wyldfae as he knelt near, but not too near, the bush.

“Sgiath?” the fae-chipmunk, clicked and chirped as he slowly floated out of the plant again, its glowing eyes darting between the three. “It is true-true-true it’s true,” the fae-chipmunk burst out excitedly, fluttering everywhere at once.

“Well damn if you could speak English why didn’t you do that earlier,” Hoyt asked, crossing his arms as he looked down at the creature, “and what’s true?”

“What? He wasn’t earlier?” Jason asked turning from the now confused fae-chipmunk to Hoyt. “What was he speaking?”

“What are you two talking about?” Joshua asked looking worried between the two. “He’s not talking just making weird noises,” the young fae said, to which the fae-chipmunk seconded confirming it could speak no mortal tongue.

Both Jason and Hoyt understood him.

“You understanding him isn’t odd, you think all the fae speak English.” Hoyt reminded his love before looking at the fae-chipmunk again. “But I normally can’t and I couldn’t earlier…so what that hell?” he asked the group at large, not really expecting an answer.

All four were silent for a long moment, each looking between the other three until Jason turned toward the fae-chipmunk. “You have any idea?”

“No-no-no Sgiath, mortal mate shouldn’t shouldn’t shouldn’t understand. Nope he shouldn’t,” the fae-chipmunk clicked and chirped quickly, still zipping all around Jason. “You need to help help help Seanchas. Yes yes yes, stop the mortals, save the dale. Save us, save us, save us.”

“Whoa slow down there. One thing at a time,” Jason shouted, twisting and turning to try and keep the flying chipmunk in sight as he kept moving about. “You don’t know why Hoyt can understand you, right? I got that much.” Jason added but then went on before the fae could speak, “So just who are you?”

“Seanchas, that’s me, Seanchas. You’ll help Seanchas keep the mortals away away away?” the fae-chipmunk, Seanchas, answered then asked, still zooming around the three.

“What mortals? And stop moving and hold the fuck still, Seanchas,” Jason ordered at last, yelling over Seanchas’s voice, after cranking around to see him only for Seanchas to move out of sight again.

“Harsh man,” Joshua quipped, giving Jason a bit of a glare at the tone he’d used. Jason ignored Joshua, still trying to pin down where Seanchas was. 

Seanchas froze almost right where he was, looking more then a bit scared, “Yes, Sgiath. Seanchas is sorry Sgiath, Seanchas will stay right here. Won’t move at all, nope, no, not one bit,” Seanchas said, landing with a plop in front of the bush he had come out of in the first place.

“Okay, good, just stay right there. Now explain, help you with what?” Jason asked, watching the now not moving Seanchas.

“The mortals. Destroy destroy destroy, all mortals ever seem to want to do do do. Seanchas protect but they come closer closer closer, Seanchas need help help help,” Seanchas explained, almost vibrating with the need to move but managing to stay on the ground and mostly in the same spot. “But they won’t get the dale, they won’t won’t won’t. Seanchas protects home, home, home.”

“What dale?” Jason asked looking around, and yeah the ground dipped low but nothing he’d call a valley.

“Who’s Dale?” Joshua asked, looking around for another person or fae creature.

“We’re in the dale, we’d be sending water right through it whenever it rained, and it wouldn’t drain quickly,” Hoyt explained before kneeling in front of the small fae. “We’d be destroying your home, wouldn’t we?” he asked, realizing why Seanchas had been stopping the road crew in any way he could.

“Mortals destroy,” Seanchas repeated, looking crestfallen, his clicks and chirps soft.

“We build too,” Jason told Seanchas confidently before turning to Hoyt. “You can get the road crew to come up with a workaround right?” he asked.

“A workaround for what? Is someone going to tell me what the hell you all are talking about?” Joshua complained, fed up with only understanding half of what was being said.

“After we’re done, now let the man answer,” Jason shushed the teen, still looking toward Hoyt for his response.

“We have a couple of weeks at least before the digger is up and running again so, yeah we can work on something, maybe run it toward the other bend in the river, it’s a bit farther away from the road but maybe it could work,” Hoyt answered after thinking for a few minutes.

“Good then it’s solved,” Jason stated, grinning. “That was easy,” he added.

“You will stop the mortals and their digging digging digging? Seanchas’s home is safe Sgiath? Really truly safe safe safe?” Seanchas cheered happily, unable to stay on the ground he started bounding and then zipping around in glee.

“Yeah we’ll make it safe, Sean-cha-s. We just didn’t know we had a reason not to flood this area,” Hoyt explained sincerely, stumbling a bit over the fae’s name.

“Thank you thank you, Sgiath’s mortal, Seanchas thanks you,” the fae said just as heartfelt, even landing on Hoyt’s shoulder for a brief moment before zooming off to buzz around all three of them.

“Who’s mortal?” Hoyt asked Seanchas, “Because I belong to Jas-what the hell am I saying; I don’t belong to anyone,” Hoyt said, stomping his foot.

“Darn right he’s mi-hey, yes you are. You’re mine and I’m yours Bubba. We’re in love ain’t we,” Jason declared plainly to Hoyt. Then he turned back toward Seanchas, “But what does this Sgiath mean, you keep saying it,” he asked his fellow wyldfae.

“Sgiath you, you Sgiath. The Sgiath,” Seanchas started to explain, zipping to the front of Jason and pointing at the small wooden oak leaf on Jason’s chest, “Sgiath,” he repeated.

It looked like Seanchas was going to say more when he whipped around to face toward the road then vanished like a flash into his bush just as a voice called over the hill, “Stackhouse! Where did your fool self get off too?”

“Kenya? That you?” Jason called back, recognizing the voice of one of his follow deputies, heading back toward the road with only a quick look at Seanchas’s bush.

Sharing a glance with each other Hoyt and Joshua followed, but not before Hoyt whispered that everything would be alright.

“Damn, Stackhouse, don’t your phone ever work anymore?” Kenya demanded to know once the three were on the road. “And what the hell are you lot doin’ out here?”

“I’ll get a new fucking phone, damn it,” Jason shot back, as much at Hoyt as Kenya. “But what’s up? I’m off today and I was at the station anyways, if they needed me Andy could have said something then,” he added for good measure.

“We didn’t need you then, something’s just happened. Now get in the car, have Hoyt take the kid home, they don’t need to see this,” Kenya told the three, her face pulled tight.

***

Mortal cities were just so…filthy, Claude thought, letting his eyes linger on the papers, plastic bottles and other trash that dirtied the streets of city he had found himself in.

Not that he was much better at this point. The last two days had changed his once clean white shirt and pants into mud stained and ripped pieces of cloth. He was just as dirty as the city.

Though it could be just the part he was in, he was fairly sure it wasn’t one of the better parts of it. Not with the small group of men coming toward him, clearly looking for a fight.

“Well, well, if it isn’t a fucking fairy,” The tall redneck leader of the gang mocked, punching his fist into his other hand. “Looking like that, the hustler can’t be getting much action; let’s say we help him out, boys. How much for the lot of us,” he added, smirking widely at Claude before looking at his gang.

“I’m fairly sure you have the wrong impression. I am not someone to be trifled with,” Claude stated with a glare. “Leave me be, while you still can walk.”

“Ohh, the rent boy thinks he’s a tough guy, does he,” the leader said, shoving Claude’s shoulder. “What’re you going to do?”

“Don’t touch me again, mortal,” Claude shot back, stepping closer to the gang leader, looking him in the eyes.

“Mortal? I’m a mortal, what do you think you are? A god?” the leader mocked, looking around at his boys before turning back to Claude. “Fuck that,” he added, swinging his fist.

It never landed. Claude dropped under it before landing his own punch, sending the man flying backwards. Within seconds the others were lunching themselves at him but they--like their leader--went down in the streets in grunts of pain and cracking of bones.

When it was over Claude was the only one standing, glaring down at the mortals. “You are very lucky I am without my powers at the moment, but never mistake one of the fae as defenseless.” He added, giving one of the fallen humans a kick before moving on, following the faint feeling of his son coming from the south.

***

“Damn that’s a mess, what can do that to a gator, fuck, to anything?” Jason asked, unable to take his eyes away from the scene that greeted the two deputies when they stepped out of Kenya’s car.

“Fuck, Kevin under sold this,” Kenya said, echoing Jason’s sentiments. 

The wetlands in front of them were more red than green with blood splashed everywhere, from the trees to the tall grass. The slow moving water hadn’t had time to wash clean so even it was still more scarlet than not with the alligator’s blood.

The alligator in question, or what was left of it, was in three major pieces. The tail seemed to have been thrown to the water’s edge, half out of it. A large chunk of the body, including one of the limbs, was hanging from a mid-level branch slowly dripping blood into the water, drop by drop. The last large chunk was the head, without the lower jaw, that stared lifelessly from the water at anyone who drove by on the road.

“That is fucking creepy,” Jason stated plainly, shuddering and turning away from the gator head.

“Jones, Stackhouse, what took you two so fucking long?” Andy called, yelling from where he crouched by the alligator’s tail.

“If it had just been me I would have been here half an hour ago,” Kenya made clear, giving Jason a glare.

“I’m getting a new phone tomorrow, fuck,” Jason said, rolling his eyes.

“Is there a reason we need to see this?” Kenya went on, trying not to look at the alligator bits.

“Yeah there is. This is the second damn one that’s been called in tonight. Ellis is already on the horn to find out if this is happening anywhere else but, fuck there shouldn’t be anything in these damned waters that can do that,” Andy shouted, jabbing toward the head. “And until we find out what this is, I need everyone on high alert. Anything big enough to do this may not stay in the water, and it may not be an alligator next,” the sheriff added bluntly.

“Fuck,” Kenya whispered.

“You can say that fucking again,” Jason added.

None of them noticed they were being watched by a handful of dark shapes farther into the swamps.

***

“There must be something you can tell me, Seer,” Claudine pleaded with the Snow Seer.

The Summer fae had stood on the edge of the Snow Seer’s domain, a vast land of endless plains of snow and nothing else, asking for answers for hours, but the mounds of snow had yet to move, giving her nothing but mouthful after mouthful of snow.

“Please, anything to help my brother, anything at all and I will go happy,” Claudine tried one more time, fighting the shiver that tried to over take her body in the bitter cold.

She was on the verge of giving up on the Winter Fae to try another lead when the mounds began to move.

Slowly, an almost human-like form of snow pulled itself from the ground. It moved with the wind, shifting to the right and left, losing lumps of snow only for them to fill back in from the snow falling around them. But finally it neared Claudine then spoke in a voice of howling wind and grinding ice.

“Then listen and go, child of Summer,” the Seer began its proclamation. _“The child of Winter, Fall from wyld grace. A service must be rendered. At the shield’s side will they stand all or none shall fall._ ”

With the final word the snow itself fell, crashing to the ground sending out a flurry of snow in all direction, knocking Claudine from her feet.

***Chapter Three***

“You think this would be a better plan?” the Commissioner of Public Lands asked two days later, looking at the plans that Hoyt had given him while he finished his dinner at Merlotte’s.

Hoyt and Jason had used all their free time over the last two days to create the alternative plan and sent it in to the Commissioner earlier that day. But neither of them had expected to be asked to meet him the same day.

“Yes, I think it would be a better plan than what we have now, Mr. Allen,” Hoyt explained to his boss. “And one we can get started on right away without waiting for any equipment to get fixed,” he added.

“That has become a concern. We may just have to replace them rather than keep trying to fix them, not that we have the budget for that,” Mr. Allen said, clearly annoyed with the repeated breakdowns.

“It’s already being worked on so you might as well give it one more chance,” Hoyt answered, trying to keep his already short budget from getting shorter when he knew the main problem had been fixed. “But fix the old or get a new one it’s going to be weeks before it’s done and the road was slated to be done last month as it was. With this plan…” Hoyt explained, bringing the conversation back to his new plan for Jefferson Road.

“Yes, there is that. How long do you estimate it will take?” Mr. Allen asked, pushing his finished dinner plate to the side so he could study the plans closer.

“I can have Alex’s and Richards’s crew out there in the morning and I recon it’ll be done by next Friday, give or take a day. It still won’t be on time but it’s not going to be no matter what we do at this point,” Hoyt told the Commissioner.

“You’re right about that and you don’t know the headache I’m getting from the state offices about not being on schedule, as if they’re any better,” Mr. Allen scoffed as he stood up, picking up the papers as he did. “Get started tomorrow, I’ll get the office paper work started and to you…won’t be tomorrow, Friday. Until then don’t do anything you can’t undo, Fortenberry.” He warned Hoyt.

“No problem,” Hoyt responded, standing as well.

“And good work coming up with this. If everything works out I’ll owe you one. But I have to get, the wife should be back from her sister’s soon and I need to hide the leftovers she left for my dinner,” Mr. Allen joked, dropping a few bills on the table before heading for the door with a last good bye.

Hoyt let out a worried breath, slumping against one of the booths, relieved that Jason and his plan had worked, cleaning up a mess that wasn’t even his responsibility.

“You okay there, Hoyt? Bad meeting with the boss?” Sam asked a moment later, spotting Hoyt as he entered the main area of his bar.

“Huh, what?” Hoyt said, opening his eyes. “No, just the opposite. It went well, better than I’d hoped actually,” he confessed, standing upright.

“If you say so,” Sam said with a shrug. “You getting a drink?” he asked, slipping behind the bar.

“Nah, I shouldn’t. Jason and Joshua are expecting me back, let them know how it went…” Hoyt told Sam, his eyes lingering on the beer tap.

“You can’t leave, I just got here,” Jessica suddenly called from behind him, flinging her arms around him to hug him from behind. “And I even have like half an hour before my shift tonight,” the red-haired vampire complained.

“I guess one beer won’t hurt, I do have an in with the cops if I get pulled over,” Hoyt said with a smile, letting Jessica hold him.

***

“Did the Sgiath come, did he see you?” Llamhigyn Y Dwr asked when Addanc, acompanied by two large black dogs with red eyes, swam up to the small island that the water leper had claimed as his own.

“The Sgiath came but he did not see anything beyond the mortal that was slain, it was such a weak creature,” Addanc commented with a slap of its beaver tail, “I did not even need the Gwyllgi to aid me,” he added, giving the fae dogs a glance before looking toward Diana. “Why do we not just kill the Sgiath now and be done with it. He looks weak, frail.”

“My father, my brother, all my family thought the same and they are dead, many by his hand. The vile Wyld one is many things, weak is not one of them,” Diana made clear, drifting down from her perch. “We must make sure that he cannot win.”

“The human form speaks true, let us not forget that this false Wyldfae overpowered even the true Lord Alberich. We must make sure he dies,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr reminded them all, flapping his bat wings and sending water rippling away from him. “The Sgiath will die and then, for his presumption, it is time we deal with the false king of the Wyldfae once and for all. His blood will spill and his leaves will be evergreen,” the dark wyldfae declared, his laughter of croak and ribbit filling the swap. 

“Yes, Finvarra must die for his betrayal,” Diana echoed in glee.

***

“Do you ever wonder what life would be like if magic wasn’t real? Any of it?” Hoyt asked, finishing off his fourth beer, the first few downed almost in one gulp.

“Really? You’re asking the girl that got turned into a vampire against her will remember,” Jessica said back, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, dumb question,” Hoyt admitted, trying to drain the last few drops of beer from his glass.

“Ya know, Hoyt…” Jessica began, stopping and looking around them before turning back to her first boyfriend, taking his hand in hers. “We never have talked about what you said right before your wedding,” she reminded him before making an offer, “if you ever want too…”

“He’s not human. He’s not even like Sookie…I just, not…”Hoyt trailed off, putting down the mug. “I still love Jason…I’m just not sure…I should be getting home,” Hoyt finished saying as he stood up. Realizing he may have moved to too fast given all the beers he had had when he started to wobble.

But Jessica was standing next to him supporting him in a flash, “Hoyt…”

“I’m fine, really,” Hoyt said with sincerity as he took a few slow steps forward. “I should know better than drinking on an empty stomach but I’ll be fine. I’ll even call when I get home,” he promised before heading out the door despite Jessica’s worried look.

***

“Well damnit Hoyt, I know it’s basically spring but it’s still too cold to be just sitting out here at this hour, and without a coat. If you were one of my kids I’d ground you for a week,” Arlene stated when she stepped out of Merlotte’s to get something from her car to see Hoyt sitting on the hood of his truck.

“Huh? It’s not that cold,” Hoyt said simply, not looking away from the stars he was staring up at.

“Men, I swear if not for women you’d all be dead from your own stupidity and pride,” Arlene ranted off, grabbing a blanket from her back seat while picking up the small notebook she came out for, and threw it at Hoyt. “Just leave it on my car when you go home,” she told him as she turned and headed toward the door.

“Yeah, sure,” Hoyt answered back, leaving it on his lap where it had mostly landed.

Arlene stopped herself before reaching the door and turned back toward Hoyt, “Hoyt, you walked out over an hour ago and it looks to me like you sat on your ass and stared into space. Jessica didn’t get you that drunk.”

“It’s nothing,” Hoyt told her.

“Now you listen here, young man, it is almost 40 degrees out here and you’ll catch your death of cold if you don’t use that blanket right now,” Arlene ordered, shaking her finger at Hoyt.

“Hell, Arlene I’m not Cody, you can’t just tell me what to do,” Hoyt shot back, finally looking away from the sky.

“No. My boy does what he’s told. Blanket now. And tell me what crap has you sitting here and not warm at home,” Arlene demanded to know, giving Hoyt her mom voice and look.

“I just needed to sober up a-“

“Do I look stupid?” Arlene asked, cutting Hoyt off, “I know you’ve been drinking since you were 15, at least, you damn well know it doesn’t take an hour to sober up from a handful of beers,” she refuted his point.

“So I’m not in a hurry to get home. Nothing wrong with that,” Hoyt said defensively.

“Home to the man you love and just married less then a month ago, nothing wrong, my ass. Out with it, don’t make me come out there Hoyt,” Arlene said stomping here foot as she marched to the front of Hoyt’s truck.

“Oh-hell. It’s just the fae stuff. I just need some time that’s not all about it, okay? Even my work--I just needed one goddamn minute. There I’ve told you, now can you just back off?” Hoyt shot back, jumping down and heading right for the driver’s door. “And take your damn blanket back,” he added, throwing it toward her.

“Well Hoyt Fortenberry…” Arlene started but stopped, at a loss for words as she watched Hoyt leave, frustrated. “Those Fairies are nothing but trouble for us normal folk,” she added a minute later, after Hoyt’s tail lights had faded into the darkness.

***

“Interesting viewing, Lady of Ice.”

Mab neither reacted nor responded to Finvarra’s arrival at first. She continued to gaze into her full length mirror, made of ice, watching Hoyt sit on his truck and then drive away when bothered by the other mortal.

“There are no other views of greater interest?” Finvarra went on, slowly wandering around her frozen mountain top cave, Killaraus. Weaving his way around the stalagmite of ice.

“Not to you nor my fellow Queen,” Mab answered, turning her head and changing the angle of her view of Hoyt with a move of her hand, “You both seem far too taken by this mortal…as does your new champion. I do not understand it,” she admitted at last, banishing the image with a wave, looking toward the Autumn King.

“Even with all our powers, love is not something we can predict, or even truly control,” Finvarra said causally, letting his fingers linger on a stalagmite that was larger than the others, the faint image of a form just visible. “As many of us have learned when we have tried to bend it to our will.”

“That explains the younglings interest in the mortal, but not yours or Tatiana,” Mab answered back, her voice cold as she stepped toward the large stalagmite, glaring at Finvarra who backed away from it with an amused smirk.

“The Mistress of light and warmth has kept her own mind, lest from me,” Finvarra responded, his tone still amused. “As for myself…he is part of my Sgiath. And to bond with a Wyldone…he is a rare mortal,” he answered at last.

“An answer that does not answer. I would expect nothing less,” Meb said retiring to her Throne. “But tell me, King of falling leaves, what brings you here? For that at least was not the mortal?” she asked.

“Your subject grows close to the others. He will seek to return to these realms,” Finvarra said, his voice growing colder than Mab herself. “I would see that never happen.”

“Never is a long time, even for the likes of us,” Mab said, holding up her hand to forestall Finvarra’s remarks. “But it will be more time than has passed before he will be allowed to return. He will pay a price. A dear one,” the Queen of darkness guaranteed her fellow monarch.

“But will it be dear enough,” Finvarra added darkly.

***

“Hey Hoyt, I missed you last night,” Jason said as he entered his and Hoyt’s home in the morning, finding Hoyt making his lunch for the day.

“Jas,” Hoyt said in surprise, looking toward the clock in worry, “It’s not that late,” he added in relief.

“I’m not really off, just getting my spare radio battery. Andy’s having us all pull doubles so I’m gonna need it,” Jason explained as he grabbed the large black block from its charging station on the kitchen counter, giving Hoyt a kiss as he neared the man.

“It is still just animals?” Hoyt asked after the kiss.

“So far, but as of a couple hours ago they aren’t just along the river,” Jason said before hesitating. “I was worried, Bubba. It was late, you weren’t home and you didn’t answer,” he added softly, “If something happened…” he didn’t go on.

“Jason,” Hoyt said, putting down his lunch fixings, “I just…I’m alright,” he said spreading his arms wide.

“Stay that way,” Jason ordered, suddenly pulling Hoyt into a big hug.

“I’m fine, really,” Hoyt said, hugging his lover back.

“Good, right, well I really need to… and you have,” Jason fumbled afterwards, gesturing toward the counter before heading toward the door.

“No question he’s a fairy of some kind,” Joshua quipped from the hall as the door closed, having watched most of the encounter.

“Morning Joshua,” Hoyt said, shaking his head. “Get into your shower or we’ll be late,” he ordered, returning to the lunch fixings.

“Sure _dad_ ,” Joshua said with a roll of his eyes.

***

“Claudine,” Sookie called out as she looked up at one of the white fluffy clouds in the mostly clear sky.

“Have you heard anything?” Claudine asked, appearing out of a glare of sunlight to stand beside Sookie in her front yard.

“No, I’m sorry I haven’t, I was hoping you had,” Sookie confessed sadly. “And I was starting to get worried that something may have happened to you too,” she told her fairy godmother. “And I wasn’t wrong, was I?” she added, looking at the deep bruise on Claudine’s shoulder. 

“It is nothing, Sookie,” Claudine reassured her charge. “I was merely looking for answers in places that perhaps I shouldn’t have. It will heal.”

“Did you at least learn anything?” Sookie asked, her voice filled with concern.

“Riddles, prophesy, they may be of some use but…” Claudine trailed off, shaking her head.

“Hell. Those stink and they never make any sense. Was there at least something hopeful in all the riddles, anything?” Sookie asked, a twinge of hope creeping into her voice.

“That he still lives, but that he may not in the end,” Claudine answered. “I will not give up, I will find my brother,” she stated firmly.

“I’ll keep looking too,” Sookie promised, “Everything will work out.”

“I hope so,” Claudine said, vanishing in another glare of light.

***

“Well damn, ain’t that a mess.”

“That’s a fucking understatement,” Jason said, echoing Kevin’s sentiment as the two looked over the scene of the latest attack, the first on a human.

The two deputies had taped off the area around what had once been the quiet home for one of Bon Temp’s senior citizens. The home now had a large hole in one wall, the siding ripped away, leading into what was once a nice living room. But now the furniture was overturned and coated with blood.

“Did Andy say when the Doc was going to arrive for the body?” Jason asked, shaking his head as he looked toward the mauled corpse.

“Another half hour, he had a couple of patients to finish up with before he’d let Andy drive him over,” Kevin answered.

“Okay,” Jason responded, frowning as he carefully walked around the lawn between the trail leading to the river and the house, seeing nothing in the dirt and grass.

“It is weird there aren’t any tracks, because none of the attacks have left marks,” Kevin rambled, “by the river I can see that, with the water washing them away and all but…there’s nothing to wash them away here but I don’t see any,” he went on, standing next to Jason within the yellow tape.

“Yeah it’s fucking weird, this is all fucking weird….do you get the feeling we’re being watched?” Jason asked, casting his eyes around the forest, taking it all in.

“He didn’t have no neighbors, not until you go about two miles down that way,” Kevin told Jason. “I don’t see anyone watching,” he added while looking around himself.

“Yeah…” Jason said, still scanning the trees. “Something doesn’t feel right but damn if I know what,” he complained, pulling off his hat.

***

“Another mortal killed and still he does nothing,” Diana complained, turning away from the sight of Addanc and Gwyllgis eating a mortal they had found walking to near the river.

“He is as unworthy of being Sgiath as the false lord is of calling himself Master of the Wydlfae. The Sgiath will fall and we will feast upon this mortal town,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr croaked as it leapt toward the others.

“Then enough of these games, let us strike the half mortal,” Addanc demanded, his crocodile mouth red with blood as he thrashed about in excitement.

“Yes why do we not just strike at him and be done with it. Kill him now,” Diana pleaded with the giant frog.

“Soon, very soon,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr answered, “but we will draw him to us. We will not fight him on land where he is strong but we are not, but in the waters where we will rip him to pieces,” the monster added, flashing out with his tongue to snap up part of the remaining body, crushing it, bones and all, in his mouth.

***

“Just how the hell did you get these new plans through so fast?” Alex asked later that morning when he and his crew arrived at the Jefferson road site.

“Not getting this place done is getting everything behind schedule, and the Commissioner knows that’s going to start costing us funding if we don’t fix it. He was more than willing to accept a good fix, and this is a good fix if I do say so myself,” Hoyt said, bragging a bit as he finished laying the new plans out on the hood of Alex’s truck.

“They’re complete, I’ll give them that,” Alex answered as he started pouring over them, “We’re going from the other side now?” he asked a few minutes later after studying the papers.

“Yep. We won’t be digging as deep and there are fewer rocks so we don’t need any equipment other than shovels,” Hoyt explained, “which is good because that’s all we’ve got right now.”

“That may be true but the guys won’t be thanking you for it, that’s a lot of fucking digging,” Alex half objected to the change, casting a glance back at his crew.

“Then you better get started, the Commissioner would prefer it gets done tomorrow. Monday at the latest,” Hoyt informed the crew leader. “Any questions before I head out?” he added rolling up the plans, handing them to Alex.

“Naw, it’s clear enough,” Alex said taking the paper. “Go get to your own crew, I’ll go break the news to mine,” he added, looking toward his men, frowning at the idea of telling them about all the digging they had coming.

“Call me if you need me,” Hoyt called heading toward his truck, but detoured once Alex’s back was turned. Hoyt quickly cut across the road and over the ridge, heading straight for Seanchas’s shrub.

“Hello, you around?” Hoyt asked in a low voice, looking around for any sign of the Fae. “Anywhere?” he added when the fae-chipmunk didn’t appear.

Hoyt waited for a moment more giving the _dale_ another look, but he still couldn’t see any sign of the Wyldfae. “Come on, you said you don’t leave…”

“Okay well have it your own way. The road crew is heading in the other direction but I’ll ask Jason to stop back in a couple of days to check on you. I guess you won’t talk to us mortals when you know another fae’s around. Have fun,” Hoyt said, a bit frustrated as he then headed back to the road and his truck.

A pair of orange eyes he hadn’t seen watched him crest the ridge before looking toward all the noise and commotion that could be heard coming from the road not far away.

***

“Finally,” Claude declared, standing before a highway sign that read, among others things, Bon Temp 5 miles, just as the sun was setting.

The Winter Sidhe let out a breath, he knew he was finally close to going home, and he was never walking anywhere again if he could help it.

A car zoomed toward him, Claude held out his thumb but the car sped up, blasting past him and sending a gust of wind his way.

Looking down at his torn and dirty clothing then up at the faint lights in the distance he let out a sigh, “Jason had better be home,” he muttered under his breathe as he started walking toward the city.

He paused for a moment and looked around, narrowing his eyes at the river, but then just shook his head and started walking again.

***

“What do you mean he’s missing, maybe he got tired of your voice. Hell knows I am and it’s only been five minutes…” Pam responded over her phone as she relaxed on her throne at Fangtasia.

“Oh stop crying, he’s over a hundred years old, I’m sure he can take care of himself,” Pam ordered, rolling her eyes at her fellow vampire.

“Fine, I’ll look into it. Now go eat someone,” Pam finished, snapping her phone shut before turning toward Ginger with a frown. “That’s the second missing vampire this week, what the hell is going on,” she demanded to know of the human.

Ginger just broke down and started crying, unable to answer her mistress.

Pam rolled her eyes.

***

“Really, Hoyt? You’re the one that sides with me about Joshua needing home cooking more often,” Sookie said later that night when Hoyt and Joshua entered Merlotte’s just as she was walking by the door.

“Don’t mind her, it’s great that you’re here,” Jessica countered with a smile to Joshua and Hoyt before turning to Sookie. “Don’t you have food to…ya know deliver,” she whispered, making a shooing motion with her hands.

“Well, I know when I’m not wanted,” Sookie answered with an amused smile, heading off to deliver her tray of food.

“Now, is it just the two of you or is Jason meeting you?” Jessica asked, grabbing two menus, laying her hand on the third but not picking it up yet.

“Just the two of us,” Hoyt answered and opened his mouth to explain when Joshua beat him to it.

“Yeah the Cop is passed out at home, Hoyt here didn’t want to wake him by cooking,” Joshua said, rolling his eyes. “It would take a fucking bomb to wake him, he was deader than you,” Joshua remarkesd.

“Joshua,” Hoyt scolded, giving the teen a look.

“Sorry, fuck. It’s not like she doesn’t knows she’s dead,” Joshua went on.

Jessica smiled when Hoyt sighed at the teen’s second comment. “It’s okay Hoyt, I don’t mine. And it’s true, I am dead,” she added with a laugh. “Now let’s get you two a table.”

“It’s still rude and a man shouldn’t be rude to a lady, even a dead one,” Hoyt countered, giving Joshua a look as the pair followed Jessica to one of the tables.

“Fine, whatever,” Joshua responded, sliding into one chair, taking the offered menu.

“You’re usuals to drink?” Jessica asked, getting to nods. “I’ll grab them and then Arlene will be by in a second.” She said, then sped away to get the drinks.

The next couple of minutes were calm, until that is, Arlene came over to take their order.

“What, no Jason tonight, Hoyt?” She remarked before she even took their orders, giving Hoyt a measured look.

“Arlene,” Hoyt warned, not taking his eyes away from his menu.

“I’m just making conversation. And I just helped plan your wedding after all. I should be able to ask a simple little question,” Arlene went on with fake innocence.

“ _Help_ plan,” Joshua repeated in disbelief. “Dude was there any part of the wedding you didn’t do?”

“Well they weren’t going to do it themselves, even before they up and vanished just days before the big day,” Arlene answered, giving Hoyt a bit of a glare at the last part.

“It’s not like we planned it, Arlene, it just happened, and it won’t be happening again. Now can we order already, I want the catfish fry. Can you do that,” Hoyt said, getting frustrated.

“Someone’s in a mood, almost like last night,” Arlene said.

“Arlene,” Hoyt yelled, calling the attention of the entire bar to their table. Hoyt shut his eyes and took a deep breath before going on, never looking up from his beer. “It’s been a long week and it’s not over just yet so can you just take our orders and go,” he said, his voice tense. 

The bar was quiet for a moment before returning to its normal background murmur. Arlene took a moment longer to answer, “Yeah, one catfish fry, and what will you be having,” she asked, turning toward Joshua.

“I’ll have a hamburger,” the teen answered, not taking his eyes off Hoyt.

“Someone will bring them in a few minutes,” Arlene told them, never stopping from glaring at Hoyt, who never took his eyes off his water. 

“What the fuck? And you’re telling me not to be rude?” Joshua pointed out.

“Some people don’t know when to stop getting into other people’s business. Sometimes you have to be direct,” Hoyt answered, taking a drink of his water but not meeting Joshua’s eyes.

“And sometimes even you’re not prefect,” Joshua said with a grin.

“Never said I was,” Hoyt answered back, finally looking up at Joshua, “No one is, we will all mess up.” he added honestly.

“Well, duh, dude. So what’s the deal, what’s got you all ‘in a mood’,” Joshua asked, doing his best to mimic Arlene’s voice with the last couple of words.

“That’s a damn good question there Hoyt,” Sookie seconded, showing up with their orders. “Arlene is in the back thinking up ways to torture and kill you, or have Terry do it for her,” she told them, handing the plates to them. “It’s really distracting,” she added looking at Hoyt.

“Sookie,” Hoyt said with sigh. “Not right now.”

“I should never have shown you those tricks for keeping your thoughts to yourself,” Sookie said after staring at Hoyt for a long moment. “But whatever Jason did I’m sure he didn’t mean it, he does love you,” she went on.

“Sookie…I don’t doubt that and I never will. But it’s not really Jason that’s the problem,” Hoyt told her honestly. “But if you don’t mind I’m starved and Lafayette’s cat fish looks damn good,” he then said, picking up his knife and fork.

“Fine, have it your way,” Sookie said, giving Hoyt another look before shaking her head in frustration, giving Joshua a quick look, to which he nodded.

***

"Damn, tell me that’s not what I think it is,” Andy complained glaring at the pile of blood and gory flesh they’d found at the site of the most recent death.

This time it had been a pair of college students who had rented a place just outside of town near the highway that headed toward Shreveport where they went to school. Their apartment hadn’t been bothered as the couple seemed to enjoy barbecuing outside and had been in the middle of cooking something when they were attacked. Nor it seems was it just the two of them.

“If you think it looks like something other than a pile of vamp it’s not what you think it is,” Kenya told her boss, looking at the mess.

“As if this mess wasn’t fucked up enough,” Andy grouched pulling out his phone, “God damn I hate it when vampires get involved. Damn it, Stackhouse answer your damn phone…”

“He was up for almost 20 hours, he’s not waking up for no phone,” Kenya reminded the Sheriff.

“Damn, that’s right, and he’s going to need to sleep to be any good to me tomorrow. You know if Sookie working tonight?” Andy asked, scrolling through his phone for her number.

Kenya just gave him a look. “Do I look like her type? I don’t give a fuck when she works.”

“Thank god for that,” Andy said, pressing dial, “I need someone who can think right around that woman.”

***

“Where do you think Sookie ran off to?” Joshua asked as he and Hoyt made their way to Hoyt’s truck after their meal.

“I don’t know, but it was in a hurry all right,” Hoyt answered pulling his keys from his pocket.

“Arlene sure wasn’t happy to have to deal with us again,” Joshua casually added, giving his guardian a sideways look.

“Yeah…I should apologize to her, maybe tomorrow I’ll st-,” Hoyt started to say, stopping as the trees and bushes near them started to shake and move. “Who’s there?” he called, stepping back and away from the crop of plant life. “Joshua get back,” he ordered, reaching out to put a hand between Joshua and whatever was in front of them.

It was a long moment before the someone who was making all the noise became almost visible through the tress and bushes. And it was clear he was coming right to them.

“Cop? Is that you? What are you wearing?” Joshua asked, peeking over Hoyt’s shoulder.

“That’s not Jason,” Hoyt answered for the other person. The face almost looked like his husband in the flashes of moonlight that found their way through the tress’s leaves but he knew it wasn’t Jason. “You’re that other fae, the brother to Sookie’s?” he asked, trying to remember anything else about him but so much had been going on.

“Yes, my name is Claude and Claudine is my sister,” Claude informed the two as he fully emerged from the trees and underbrush to stand in the parking lot under the lights. “And I am very glad to have finally reached you…where is the Wyld one?” Claude then asked, looking around the parking lot.

“He’s at home sleeping, what happened to you?” Hoyt asked in return, looking Claude over.

“Yeah, man you look worse than I ever did,” Joshua added coming out from behind Hoyt.

The Winter Sidhe clothing had become even more torn, dirty, and muddy as he had cut through the swamps and trees to follow the beacon if his son in a straight line. It was only due to him not being human that he wasn’t covered in cuts and scratches.

“What a wonderful thing to hear, Joshua. But never mind, if you would take me to Jason Stackhouse he can open a doorway back to the Winter realms and I will not bother you further,” Claude told them. “Now which of these vehicles is yours?”

Hoyt and Joshua exchanged glances before Hoyt pointed at his truck. “Why do they always find me and not Jason,” he whispered under his breath, unlocking it with a beep.

***

“He is very persistent.”

“All of my Sidhe are, it is a trait of winter itself,” Mab answered, stepping through the outer ring of trees that formed Cnoc Meadha.

“But even for all its determination winter must give way, as will he,” Finvarra stated, shifting his eyes from the ever falling leaves to his fellow high Fae. “If he steps foot in any fae realm without my leave…” the King said, reminding her of their agreement.

“He will find his journey has been for not. No portal or archway created by a less fae will give him passage between realms. Tatiana will not interfere in this, nor will I,” The Queen of Ice and Snow told Finvarra.

“Good, I will explain things to my Sgiath when he comes to the fields of Everfrost tomorrow, until then the meddling fae can wonder,” the Lord of Falling Leaves said darkly.

“Speaking of your companion, how does he fair against the Dark Ones?” Mab asked, her interest clear as she stopped her casual wondering.

“He does not yet know they have gathered. But others are beginning to realize that something is happening, it won’t be long now. They will die or I will be in need of a new Sgiath,” Finvarra explained, leaning back in this Throne.

***Chapter Four***

“Yep that was a vampire all right, any idea what killed it Sheriff Bellefleur?” Sookie asked looking from the blood pile to Andy.

“Not yet but god damn it I was hoping we were wrong. The last thing we need with all these killing is vampires added to the mix, fuck,” Andy complained, looking around the scene.

“Do you think the same thing that got them did all those other killings too?” Sookie asked, “Any ideas just what’s doing it all?”

“You know I can’t share an ongoing investigation like that,” Andy answered, hands on his hips as he gave Sookie his best _I’m the Sheriff, do what I tell you_ look.

It didn’t work. Sookie just crossed her arms and glared back. “Really, you know I can just ask my brother, or just stand here and wait for you to think about everything you know. Which really won’t take that long.”

“What? Hey you can’t just go around threatening to do that. You keep out of my head,” Andy yelled, backing up from Sookie.

“Then just tell me what I want to know. Who or what do you think did this?” Sookie demanded to know again.

“Yes, do tell, who’s been killing my vampires and their blood banks?” Pam asked, speeding into the middle of the crime scene, looking it over, raising an eyebrow when her gaze landed on Andy. “Well? I haven’t got all night.”

***

“Damn it Hoyt, it’s barely been three hours. Go jerk off in the shower,” Jason half muttered and half yelled as he tried to push Hoyt away while shoving his head farther under his pillow.

“Jas!” Hoyt yelled back, turning red as he glanced toward the open doorway leading into the hall and living room where Claude and Joshua were waiting. “You need to get up, and dressed,” he added in a low tone, trying to pull the pillow off his lover’s head.

“But I don’t want to get up yet, five more minutes,” Jason complained, holding the pillow even tighter around his head.

“Jason…we have a fae in our living room and you need to deal with him,” Hoyt ordered as he grabbed the blanket that Jason had wrapped around himself and gave it a yank. 

“Wh-fuck, Hoyt,” Jason shouted when the blanket pulled up from under him almost sending him to the ground. “Fuck man I’m up, I’m up,” he added, frowned at Hoyt.

“Good, now _you_ can deal with your clone,” Hoyt told him, crossing his arms with the blanket still wrapped around them.

“Clone? What the fuck are you talking about?” Jason muttered mostly to himself as he made his way down the hall not even bothering to grab any more clothing than the boxer shorts he had on, “So who’s my damn clo-you!”

“Yes, Wyld One, me,” Claude replied. “Now if you would open a portal to the fae Realms I will be leaving,” the winter Sidhe went on to say while opening the front door, “anywhere will do.”

“What? Hold on, why do you need me to open a doorway and what the fuck happened to you?” Jason demanded to know, waving at Claude’s clothing, “And it’s fucking cold out there. Close the damn door I’m just in shorts here,” the Wyldfae exclaimed marching over and pulling the door shut. “Damn, that’s cold.”

“Then get more suitable clothing on, I have been stranded in this realm long enough,” Claude demanded right back, glaring at Jason.

“Well hold your horse,” Jason told him, turning back toward the hall. “Not even away five minutes, this isn’t my life this is my sister’s life. How does she fucking deal with it,” he complained, digging out a cleanish pair of pants and shirt, shoving on some shoes before returning to the door. “Everyone ready?” he asked, opening the door, leading the group to one of the nearby trees.

“You mean I get to watch this time? Fucking cool,” Joshua exclaimed, following them outside with a big grin on his face.

“Don’t get too excited, we aren’t going anywhere, you have school tomorrow,” Hoyt reminded the teen, whose grin fell a little.

“But I can go to the party tomorrow night, right? It won’t be a school night and the Cop has the time thing straightened out now,” Joshua pleaded, looking more toward Hoyt.

“Well, maybe-“ Hoyt started to agree, until Claude cut him off.

“Out of the question, you are not a WyldOne nor are you a Winter Sidhe, as of yet you don’t belong to either court and attending such a gathering would be a declaration of which court you wished to join and you are not ready for that yet, young one,” Claude made clear to Joshua. “So you are not to attend.”

“What are you my father?” Joshua scoffed, turning back to Hoyt. “Can I go, come on, you have to let me,” he continued to beg.

Hoyt didn’t answer right away but looked at Claude and frowned. “I’ll talk with Sookie and find out what the deal is from her and then we’ll see,” he answered.

“Can we get this show on the road already, I want to get back into my bed soon, and damn I’m dragging you with me Hoyt, its way too cold,” Jason grumbled, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Open the way and I will leave you to return to your bed,” Claude said plainly, gowning even more impatient than he had been before.

“Good,” Jason said as he knocked on the trunk of the tree.

At first nothing happened but then the bark began to ripple like water. The ripples spread outward from where his knuckles hit the wood, bouncing against unseen boundaries until the rippling bark formed the shape of a door. 

“I only know how to go to Cnoc Meadha yet so…” Jason added with a shrug, leaning against the still solid parts of the tree.

“Cnoc Meadha? I will have to hurry then,” Claude said, stepping forward.

The Winter Sidhe let out a hiss and a curse a moment later, bouncing off the apparently still solid tree.

“Huh?” Jason said, standing straight as he looked between Claude and the doorway in surprise. “That should have worked?” he questioned, sticking him hand into the rippling bark, and right through it, sinking to his elbow before Jason stopped. “It works…” he added, unsure what he’d done wrong.

Claude glared at Jason and the tree, slowly sticking his hand next to Jason’s. The Sidhe’s hand stopped at the surface of the tree, not sinking in any deeper then he had a moment before. Claude leaned into it but still nothing.

“Hey, Hoyt can you?” Jason asked, half turning toward his love.

“Yeah…” Hoyt answered, pressing his hand next to Jason and Claude’s and all four watched as his mortal hand sunk into the bark just as easily as Jason’s had. “Ah…Jason?” he asked, pulling his hand back out.

“I have no fucking clue,” Jason confessed, pulling his hand back out. 

Once Jason’s hand cleared the tree the rippling slowed and stopped, returning to its normal state.

“Your King seems unwilling to allow me into his realm…And you are unable to open a doorway anywhere else?” Claude asked, glaring at the tree before switching his gaze to Jason.

“From the grove sure, but every time I try it here I end up by the Throne,” Jason answered. “Well, I have only done it a couple times,” he added with a shrugged, “I guess I could try it again.”

“Yes, the Fields of Frost, where the Winter gathering is being called, try opening a doorway there,” Claude requested, pulling his hand away from the tree.

“Okay, here it goes,” Jason said to psyche himself up before knocking on the tree again. Once more the bark rippled, forming a door shaped portal. “Okay,” Jason said with a nod, sinking his hand into the portal before snatching it back. “Damn and I thought it was cold here,” he complained, rubbing his arm to warm it.

“I can feel Winter on the other side, I thank you Jason Stackhouse. And once I am able to return I will thank you properly,” Claude said with a smile, walking forward.

Cursing and hissing again as he pressed his hand against what was, for him, still a solid tree and not a doorway. “Blast him, I hope his trees burn and his leaves turn green,” the Sidhe threatened in a grunt,, kicking at the tree.

“Hey, that’s my King you’re talking about,” Jason objected, giving Claude a light shove away from the tree. “How would you feel if I started telling you your Queen should…you know melt or something.”

“Right now I would not care,” Claude stated bluntly. “It is not in his power to bar me from her realms,” he added before stomping back toward the house.

The other three traded glances for a moment.

Then Hoyt offered an idea. “Why don’t you call Sookie, Jas. She might have some idea what’s going on,” he suggested.

“She better, I need to get _some _more fucking sleep tonight,” Jason complained, patting around his pants for his phone but not finding it. “Now where did I leave it?”__

__“I’ll call,” Hoyt told him, rolling his eyes._ _

____

***

“And this is the first one with vampire remains?”

“That they recognized as such,” Pam answered her Maker over the phone, watching the humans and Sookie talking a few feet away.

“That town has seen its share of deaths, human, vampire and other. They’d know one if they saw it,” Eric reminded his progeny and Sheriff.

“You might be right, but two of the attacks happened near the river, they could have washed away and even I wouldn’t be able to find anything then,” Pam had to admit.

“Keep looking, and work with the locals. And be careful, that town has become the center of far too many unnatural events for my liking,” Eric warned.

“There is no way I’m dying in a shit hole little town like this,” Pam made clear, picking a piece of dirt off her otherwise spotless dark blue outfit.

“Good, and Pam. Make sure Sookie stays safe too,” Eric added.

“Really?” Pam started, narrowing her eyes as she turned to look at the woman herself, “That-“

“As your Maker I command it,” Eric ordered, cutting off Pam’s rant before ending the call.

“Well damn,” Pam said, slipping her phone into her pocket.

“Eric know anything useful?” Sookie asked, looking confused at the dark glare she got from Pam for moment before the Vampire’s face returned to its normal annoyed look.

“Yeah, because we’ve got nothing,” Andy had no problem stating, “if we’ve got vampires getting killed then no way in hell is this some wild animal. I don’t know what the fuck it is but it ain’t that, that’s for damn sure. You people aren’t that easy to off.”

“Thanks…I think,” Pam responded. “The King wants this solved so everyone can be nice and safe,” she added dryly looking at Sookie. “So let’s figure what did do it so I can kill it then leave this, _nice_ little town.”

She then started toward the river at a human speed, stopping a few feet latter to look at the others. “I’m not going at this speed for my own sake.”

***

Llamhigyn Y Dwr was crunching down on the carcass of an alligator when they came. Barking, they dashed through the wild growth of the swamp island telling the Darkfae what had happened.

“What it is?” Diana asked from where she had been sitting above Llamhigyn Y Dwr, waiting for the next part of her revenge to begin.

“It would seem a Sidhe and even a corrupted mortal has joined the mortal protectors in their hunt for us, but still not the false Sgiath,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr said, translating the Gwyllgi’s barks and growls for her.

“A Sidhe? I may know of the one they speak of. She played a part in the death of our King and have intervened each time my family sought the Sgiath death,” Diana explained, remembering how the Sidhe had held her back as the Wyld one had mortally wounded her brother.

“And still the Sgiath does not show himself?” Llamhigyn Y Dwr asked the pair of Gwyllgi, even Diana understood their response.

“We have waited long enough,” Addanc growled, slapping the water with his tail. “The Sgiath hides and sends out others to fight us. We should ignore all others and kill the Sgiath, weaken the false King,” the dark wyldfae demanded.

“These water grow boring,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr confessed with a flap of his wings, “the Sgiath plays the coward, let him play no more. You know the dwelling he calls home? Take us there,” the fae ordered Diana, leaping from the island to the water in a single great leap.

“Gladly,” Diana answered, her form becoming more translucent and pale green as she launched herself into the air.

Addanc grinned a toothy grin and thrashed in excitement before following the other two, as the Gwyllgi raced along the water’s edges, letting out their barks of death.

***

“It would seem the Dark ones have grown tried of waiting for your champion,” Mab noted, looking into the well to see the image of Llamhigyn Y Dwr leading his Dark one through the swamps of Bon Temp.

“Then their time to die is upon them,” Finvarra said amused. “That they could stand against my Sgiath, what fools they are. Just as was their once King.” He mocked.

“Perhaps, but your Champion may not be there to greet them,” Mab added, nodding to the crystal waters as they shimmered and changed from reflecting the Dark one to show Jason and the others at his place. Jason was standing before the tree again, getting ready to knock.

“What is this?” Finvarra asked, curious as he watched the group.

***

“Just don’t take too long, okay Jas,” Hoyt told Jason as the two men walked from their home back toward the tree that Jason has created the doorway in earlier.

“Come on, Bubba, I go in, ask a couple questions and come right back home. Even I can’t mess this up,” Jason joked, bumping shoulders with Hoyt as they neared the tree.

“Yeah…I just wish Sookie would have answered her phone. Then you wouldn’t have had to be doing this,” Hoyt answered, kicking at the dirt.

“What’s wrong? And don’t tell me nothing because I may be dumb as a rock about most things but you, you I know and something is bugging you,” Jason asked, focusing intensely on his husband.

“I…ah hell nothing…” Hoyt started but stopped, unwilling to lie to Jason’s face. “Yeah there is but... Not now, go and we’ll talk later, just us,” Hoyt promised. “Which will be easier without someone crashing on the couch.”

“Right, then lets get him home,” Jason said knocking on the tree as he gave Hoyt another kiss, “back in ten, fifteen tops,” he added before ducking through the portal.

“I hope so,” Hoyt asked, folding his arms together against the cold as he waited.

He didn’t notice he was being watched.

***

“This is just so much fun,” Pam said plainly as she looked over the river, seeing nothing.

“If it was easy we would have already found that whatever the hell it is,” Sookie countered, giving Pam an annoyed look.

“If you two put half your energy into looking and not snapping at each other we would know what it is,” Kenya added, getting glares from both of the other women.

“Please God, just kill me now. I don’t know how much more of this shit I can take,” Andy muttered to himself, heading back to his patrol car.

***

“Welcome, Sgiath, you wished to speak with me?” Finvarra asked as Jason stepped out of the portal.

He stepped into the large natural cravenness chamber that held a massive stone well in its center. The glow radiating from the waters lit the whole chamber with its rippling radiance.

“This place is fucking cool,” Jason said, turning around and taking it all in., “This isn’t part of Cnoc Meadha is it?” he asked his King, but it was the third in the room that answered.

“No Champion, We stand beneath the Citadel before the Mirror,” Mab answered before any other could.

“The Mirror” Jason repeated, looking around before frowning, “…I don’t see a mirror just this pool,” he remarked.

Mab raised an eyebrow as she turned to Finvarra.

“The pool, as you call it, is the Mirror Sgiath,” Finvarra explained. “It shows and knows all, and only truth exist within its light.”

“Cool,” Jason said, impressed, peering over the edge of the well to look into the waters which were crystal clear. It showed no image or reflection at the moment so Jason was able to see the sandy bottom, sand that seemed to shine and twinkle, generating the light that filled the space. “Very cool.”

“Indeed, but you did not come to look into the Mirror, Sgiath,” Finvarra said drawing Jason’s attention away from the waters.

“What? Right, it’s about Claude, he’s this Winter guy that-“ Jason started to explain until Finvarra interrupted him.

“I know of him and his banishment to the mortal realms,” Finvarra told his Wyldfae, his tone final, “and that will not change.”

“Oh, So….why?” Jason asked looking between the two monarchs of the Fae. “Because he really wants to go home.”

Mab smiled as Finvarra narrowed his eyes at Jason.

***

“And you enjoy living here? With the Wyld one and the mortal?” Claude asked, trying to make himself comfortable in the armchair was sitting in.

“Yeah, it’s cool. Hoyt’s a great guy and being around someone weirder then me is a nice change,” Joshua answered, handing Claude one of the sandwiches he had just made, “and it’s way better than the streets or the other foster homes, no one’s trying to kill me, regular food, and showers, all the fucking showers I could ever want. Fuck I think I want one now,” he added, glancing toward the bathroom. “You might want to take one too, no offence but you kind of stink.” He went on, waving his hand in front of his nose.

“I…I’m unused to these mortals…was it truly that bad for you before you came here, child?” Claude asked. “I am sorry for that, perhaps I should have taken steps sooner…” he started but then trailed off.

“Huh?” Joshua asked around his sandwich.

“Nothing that can be changed now,” Claude said, dismissing the subject, poking at the offered food. “Maybe I should see to cleaning myself, if all goes well I will be standing before my Queen soon. I should not look as I do.”

“Yeah man, your Queen is the ice one right? She looks scary,” Joshua commented as he jumped up. “The shower’s right there,” he added, opening the bathroom door and pointing to the shower stall.

“Do not let Queen Tatiana’s looks deceive you, she is no less cunning or lethal than my Lady is,” Claude warned as he stepped into the bathroom, looking around. “Thank you, should I need further help I will-“ Claude stopped mid-thought as a burst of bright daylight came from outside.

“Fuck was that?” Joshua yelled, rushing toward the front window, only nothing was there. “What the?”

“That was a Summer Sidhe,” Claude answered the teen as he more cautiously approached the window, “leaving I believe.”

“When did they show up? And why?” Joshua asked still looking everywhere he could from inside, “wait…where’s Hoyt?”

***Chapter Five***

“There, that is the Sgiath dwelling,” Diana announced as she and the other reached the edge of Jason and Hoyt’s property.

“Summer is strong here,” Addanc growled, thrashing his head about as he looked over the area.

“But it fades, unlike the stench of the traitor who sides with the false king,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr crocked. “It was a strong summer…but they are gone, it is time the Sgiath dies.”

Llamhigyn Y Dwr flapped its great bat wings and leapt closer to the house just as the front doors opened and Joshua and Claude stepped out, looking around for Hoyt. 

But what the Winter fae saw was Llamhigyn Y Dwr.

***

“What the hell-“

“Calm yourself, mortal, you have nothing to fear,” Tatiana’s golden voice said soothingly behind him.

Hoyt spun around to see the Summer Queen standing beside him in her sun-spun gold gown. Hoyt took a step back, then another until he felt rough stone walls behind him. “You’re one of the Queens. Where am I? And why did you take me, I was waiting for-” Hoyt tried to demand, but his voice kept faltering as he tried to inch farther and farther from the Sidhe Queen, then when casting his eyes about to try and find a way out he saw Jason on the other side of the massive chamber. “Jason!” he called out.

“He cannot hear you,” Tatiana informed Hoyt, slowly walked closer to where Jason stood with Finvarra and Mab around him.

“What? Is this a shadows of things that were thing?” Hoyt managed to say, edging closer to Jason.

“I do not understand?” Tatiana said, giving Hoyt a studied look. “We are merely shaded from his sight,” the Summer Queen told him.

“I finally make a joke about that damn book and no one gets it,” Hoyt muttered to himself, becoming more nervous under the scrutiny of Tatiana gaze, until at last he bolted for Jason’s side.

But he jerked to a stop before reaching his husband when Finvarra and Mab both stopped and turned toward him. Finvarra didn’t look away but Mab turned almost at once toward Tatiana.

“They, however, are not fooled by the shade that blocks you from the Wyld One’s sight,” Tatiana added with a hint of a smile.

“This is all her,” Hoyt shot out, giving one last dash until he was at Jason’s side.

“Well? I get that he messed up but you’ve got to forgive him sometimes right…hello? Something wrong?” Jason said, frowning at the spot where both the Winter Queen and Autumn King had first noticed Hoyt. 

“Games, more games,” Finvarra answered, looking toward Tatiana briefly before turning back to Jason. “The Winter fae’s game lead to a battle in the very heart of my domain, and the death of many of the Daoine Court. I would have seen him dead if the choice had been mine alone,” he explained to his Wyldfae, his voice growing darker and harsher at the reminder of what had happened.

“Who…You?” Jason asked, turning from his King to Mab.

“Yes. I would not see one of mine killed so outright,” Mab informed Jason.

“Good then maybe-“ Jason started, but Mab wasn’t done yet.

“I will have him suffer first. Become one of the pawns he thought himself above before death takes him,” Mab finished coldly.

“Ah…he’s not leaving the mortal world is he?” Jason asked, already knowing the answer as he nodded to himself.

“No,” Finvarra answered anyways, “but now I have matters to attend to. But before _you_ go, Youngling, I believe the Queens wish to speak with you,” he added, letting his eyes drift over Mab, then Tatiana and last Hoyt who was standing next to Jason, looking calmer than just moments before.

“Okay,” Jason responded, watching as his king vanished from view before turning toward the only other one visible to him. “Hello. What you want to talk about? And can we make it fast? I really do need some more sleep before my shift.”

***

“Get back,” Claude yelled, shoving Joshua back into the house, sending them both sprawling to the floor just beyond the doorway, the moment he spotted Llamhigyn Y Dwr.

“What the fuck was that,” Joshua exclaimed, scrabbling to get back up, his eyes wide.

“That was a very powerful dark one,” Claude explained, pushing himself up as he shouted out, “Queen Mab help your servant. Claudine! Stackhouse!” he kept yelling, still shoving Joshua back away from the door.

“Dude! Did one of those things get Hoyt? Because that’s so not cool,” Joshua hollered, trying to push back toward the door.

“I don’t know but you will not be going out there to find out, we need help, even with my full powers I would be a fool to fight Llamhigyn Y Dwr at a time of his choosing, and he did not look alone. We need help.” Claude shouted back.

“Help?” Joshua thought, “who the fuck can we-“ he started to say before spotting Jason’s extra radio on the kitchen counter, “fuck it, the Cop trusts them,” he said before grabbing it.

“What are you doing?” Claude asked.

But he didn’t get an answer right away as a loud crash and crunch filled the air as they heard the front wooden steps being ripped away, along with the door. “Run,” Claude ordered as they bolted toward the back and through an unopened window.

***

“This is rather dull. Do you do this every day?” Pam asked from the back seat of the patrol car, bored almost to true death.

“Only on good days,” Andy answered grouchily as he drove them to the next scene. 

As they had no better ideas, they were double checking each of the older attack sites hoping that something could be seen or found by Pam’s enhanced senses. So far, nothing.

“Only three more to go, then you can stay at my place, Pam, that way you don’t have to go all the way back to Shreveport if you don’t want, since you are being really helpful,” Sookie offered, surprised at the level of help clear in her voice.

“You’re too kind. My maker told me to help so I’m helping. It’s what I do,” Pam complained dryly. Just as the radio started crackling to life.

“Help…Frog thi…woods….Jason…t missing….ookie…” came the broken and half garbled transmission.

“Isn’t that Jason’s kid’s voice?” Kenya asked from the back set next to Pam.

“Yes it is, that’s Joshua,” Sookie seconded grabbing for the radio mic, “Joshua!” She yelled into it.

“Give me that,” Andy ordered, grabbing it from her hand, “you don’t need to yell, that’s what the kid’s doing wrong,” he said before pressing down the speak button, “Joshua, this is Bellefleur, where are you?” he asked, depressing the button even as he pulled a U-turn to head closer to Jason and Hoyt’s place, lights and sirens blaring.

The car load listened for a couple of moments but the message didn’t change, “Where are you, where in the woods,” Andy requested again but it was becoming clear that Joshua couldn’t hear them.

“He’s not letting go of the button,” Kenya guessed as she hung on to the door as best she could when Andy took a turn without slowing,

“Kids these days don’t know nothin’,” Andy complained, pushing the peddle down harder.

***

“Why do you stay with the mortal?” Mab asked, cutting to the heart of her fellow Queen’s question.

“Yes, why indeed,” Tatiana seconded showing herself, but not Hoyt, as she stepped next to the mystical well.

“Fuck? Where did you come from,” Jason said in surprise looking at the other Queen.

“Why do you stay with the mortal when you will only break his heart when you leave him,” Tatiana repeated the question, lightly touching the waters, filling the chamber with a great burst of light.

“I’m not going to break his heart, I love him,” Jason shot back, glaring at the Queen.

“Really?” Mab humored as she watched Hoyt smile, “he is mortal, he will grow old and die as you stay ever young, you will wander from his side, just as you have before,” Mab added, looking at the image that now covered the surface of the well, the image of Jason sleeping with one of the former receptionists at the police station, three years before.

“What that? That was just sex not love. Hoyt knows I still love him. He knows I love sex, but that was the last time I’ve had sex with someone other than Bubba, I haven’t even wanted to,” Jason said proudly, crossing his arms as he returned the looks the Queens were giving him without looking away.

“I know, I trust you to always come home to me, Jason,” Hoyt whispered softly, reaching out to touch Jason, stopping his hand just short of contact.

“And as he ages?” Tatiana questioned the Wyldfae, waving her hand over the waters to change the image to a much older Hoyt with a grown up Joshua while Jason looked just the same standing beside them.

 

“What, huh?” Jason asked, shaking his head. “Sorry I felt, never mind,” he told them dismissing the moment as he looked toward the well. “That is cool, can it show anything?” Jason asked, reaching out to touch the water.

“Do not touch the water,” Mab ordered, stepping forward and Glaring at Jason until he withdrew his hand.

“Okay, okay,” Jason said backing up, his hands in the air, “not touching anything.”

“He and the young Sidhe will age Wyld one, you will not. Will you still feel the same in the years to come?” Mab asked, her eyes drifting from Jason to Hoyt, who had started glaring at her.

“You may be a queen and all that shit here but you don’t know much about mortals do you? Or love.” Jason stated bluntly to the two women.

“Jason,” Hoyt hissed unheard by his side, seeing the dark looks the Queen of Ice and Snow was giving his lover.

“I love Hoyt. And I’ve loved him almost my whole life,” Jason started to explain, “now I may not have realized it then, but I did. Back in high school, hell back in fucking grade school I loved spending time around him more than anyone else and that hasn’t fucking changed.”

“Wyld One-“ Tatiana began but was unable to finish.

“Look, Lady, you may have my sister’s respect but you’re both losing mine. I love Bubba and he loves me. He’s mine and I’m his and all that lovely dovely crap you read about,” Jason ranted, just building up steam, “and yeah I may live longer and when Hoyt’s too old to want to _make love_ it may be tough but I will still love Hoyt.”

Hoyt looked on as the two Queens watched Jason become more animated with each word, and then he began to change, slowly the two Jasons became visible, both speaking in unison as they ranted at the high Sidhe.

“And after he and Joshua are dead, I’ll remember them, I’ll look after and take care of their families because they’re my family and if either of you have a problem with that then screw you both,” Jason finished, his voice echoing and reverberating throughout the cave.

“You dare speak to us in such a way?” Mab hissed, clinching one hand into a fist that began frost over and glow with blue-white light.

“Mab, remember where we stand,” Tatiana called out, reminding her fellow Queen of the well with a gesture.

“This disrespect will not be forgotten,” Mab threatened, her voice cracking like thunder as she vanished in a flash of darkness.

“You truly love him? With all your essence. I had not…” Tatiana said in almost awe as she turned from the two men toward the well. “Has your King told you of this place?” she asked.

“You mean the fae realms? A little but I was kind of on a honeymoon,” Jason shrugged, taking a step closer to the pool but not near enough to touch, “and that was more important, he is important.” Jason added, his eyes falling on the image of Hoyt, gray haired and leaning heavily on a cane.

“I’m not the only one,” Hoyt whispered, stepping to Jason’s side, never taking his eyes from Jason’s face, either of them.

“I speak of this mirror, for it is the mirror of truth. It reflects only the truth and only the truth can exist in its light,” Tatiana explained. “Your words were said in passion and in the heat of the moment but they were also the truth for you could speak nothing else,” the Queen of Summer added, looking toward Hoyt. “It would seem you have nothing to fear from him, mortal.”

“Mortal? I thought you said I wasn’t--Hoyt?” Jason stopped abruptly, his eyes growing wide as the mortal faded into view next to him. Without hesitation Jason grabbed his husband and held him close for a long moment, each settling into the other when Hoyt brought up his own arms. “I needed this, I don’t know why but I did,” Jason whispered softly as they reluctantly pulled away.

“Yeah so did I,” was all Hoyt said in response, looking awkwardly down at his shoes for a moment before looking up at Jason. “So you’re never going to leave me for all this?” he asked at last.

“What? Never,” Jason stated without hesitation, then pulled Hoyt into a deep kiss. “We’re for life, no matter how long,” he added after the kiss was over.

“Yes the mortal’s heart will be fine,” Tatiana said to herself as she watched the two men. “Now it is time you were sent back,” she said and with a wave of her hand both men saw, and felt, the world around them change into a golden mist which then dispersed, leaving them in their front yard.

“Not a bad way to travel,” Hoyt commented, not letting go of Jason.

“I could get used to it. I’m really going to have to talk to Galway about lessons; I think this is one subject I could get into,” Jason answered back with a smile.

“And Galway would b--fuck!” Hoyt’s question was cut off mid word as he spotted their front door, several feet from their front doorway just as a shot rang out, followed by another.

***

“What the fuck is that,” Pam said, her voice betraying her shock as they saw a misshapen creature with a crocodile mouth and most of its body but with a wide beaver tail come crashing from the trees right in front of the patrol car.

No one in the car even tried to give an answer, everyone in the car tried to brace themselves as the car slammed into Addanc going at its high-speed, the car half flipping to its side, skidding forward on its driver side doors even as the darkfae gave out a pained cry, being dragged along.

It was a few moments before Pam broke off the door, sending it flying into the swamp before speeding out and then yanking off the front door for Sookie, “Are you hurt? Eric would be annoyed if you are,” she said dryly.

“I think I’m fine but I can’t undo the buckle and I think I’d fall into Andy if I could,” Sookie said, pushing the airbag from her face. “What bout the rest of you?”

“This is not my day,” Andy growled, punching at the air bag to make it go down, then giving out a shout when he saw Addanc penned under the front of the car, struggling to move as dark liquid flowed from its body. “What the fuck is that.”

“Road kill,” Pam answered, giving Addanc a look over, “or almost. Give it a few minutes.”

“Very funny,” Andy shot back. “Hey Kenya, how are you back there?” Andy asked, as he tried undoing his seatbelt. But he started twisting around to see the back when Kenya didn’t answer, “Kenya? Kenya, answer me,” he started demanding.

“Oh god Andy we have to get her out of here,” Sookie shouted as she was able to turn enough to see Kenya, the deputy was unconscious and the window next to her was turning red as blood filled the spider web of crakes that were spread out across it, centered right where her head lay. “Pam lay the car down, just pull it flat,” she ordered, trying to undo her belt.

“You are so lucky the King has a soft spot for you,” Pam answered sourly as she did as requested and pulled the side of the car down until the cop car was back on four wheels again.

Less than a minute later she was rolling her eyes again as she cut her wrist with her fingernail and let some of her blood drop into Kenya’s head wound. She had been pulled from the car by Andy and Sookie who were both able to get out rather easily once the car was back on all four wheels. But even with the blood Kenya didn’t move.

“What’s taking so long?” Andy asked frowning down at his deputy.

“It may be magic but it still a head wound, wait,” Pam answered pulling her arm back as the cut healed itself. “And we should be heading that way,” she added pointing toward the other side of the road where Addanc had been going. Tree branches were mangled and bushes upturned as far as they could see.

“Yeah, You’re probably right,” Sookie agreed but then looked toward Andy and Kenya and then Addanc, “but what about Kenya and whatever the hell that thing is?”

“I’m staying with Kenya, I’ll see if I can get the radio through to Kevin,” Andy told her, “and as for that thing, that’s easy.”

And with that Andy pulled out his gun and leveled it at the still struggling Addanc. Addanc snapped its powerful jaw at Andy but couldn’t get its feet to stand. After three shots it stopped moving at all.

***

“I don’t know how much longer this will work,” Joshua cried out holding out his hand, keeping up the thin shield of light, the only thing between himself and Claude and Llamhigyn Y Dwr and the Gwyllgi.

“Just keep picturing the barrier in your mind, hold them back,” Claude repeated his instruction even as he held out his own hand, but nothing happened, just as all the other times, “By the covenant of the Throne of Winter, work!” he cursed, jutting out his hand at Llamhigyn Y Dwr.

Nothing happened but the Water Leaper laughing before flashing out with his tongue, almost reaching through the light before it was jerked back. “How long can the child hold out? Not long, then we will began our feast on Sidhe flesh,” he mocked, darting out his tongue again. 

This time the pink tongue forced its way into the light, pushing past it, striking the tree behind the two Sidhe, sending shards of bark and wood flying.

Joshua let out a cry as he moved his hands to shield himself from them, breaking the barrier of light.

Llamhigyn Y Dwr pulled back and flashed out his tongue again with lighting speed even as one of the Gwyllgi darted forward, its jaw wide and filled with teeth.

“NO!” Claude yelled, lashing out with a kick and sending the Gwyllgi yelping backwards while he shot out and grabbed Llamhigyn Y Dwr’s tongue in his hand and yanked, hard, before throwing it back at the Leaper. “You will not harm my blood,” he declared.

“What?!” Joshua shouted, his eyes big and wide as he stared at Claude.

“Not now, your light, use it,” Claude ordered, never taking his eyes from Llamhigyn Y Dwr.

“Too late, I will eat you both!” Llamhigyn Y Dwr crocked, his tongue shooting out again, this time aimed straight for Claude. Far too fast for him to catch.

“I don’t think so,” Sookie countered.

Sookie’s voice was accompanied by a wave of white light, shielding Joshua and Claude from Llamhigyn Y Dwr even as it forced the darkfae and two of the Gwyllgi back and away from the Sidhe.

The other Gwyllgi did not move, one broken and lifeless, it fell from Pam’s hand even as she hissed, fangs out, at the darkfaes, “I don’t know what you are but get the fuck out of my territory.”

“You think to stand against me, corrupted mortal? I fear you no more than I fear the blasted Sidhe,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr said, letting out a great croak as it let loose its tongue again.

***

Hoyt had no idea how he kept up with Jason, but he did.

At the sound of the first gunshot they ran as fast as they could in the direction of the sound. Within seconds, they found the trail of broken trees and uprooted plants and raced down it.

They only stopped a moment by Andy and Kenya’s side, she was now awake but Andy was still keeping her on the ground until the medics arrived and cleared her. They stopped just long enough to see Addanc and be told about Joshua’s frantic call.

With a shout, Jason told Hoyt to stay put as he ran after his sister but Hoyt ignored the words, he stayed by his side until they reached the others.

That was when Jason tackled the giant frog and he placed himself between Joshua and everything else.

***

“Your Champion is in need of a lesson in manners,” Mab said coldly as she stepped beside Finvarra.

The Master of the Wydlfae was watching a cascade of falling leafs, each one showing fleeting images of the fight happening in the mortal world. Every so often he would pluck one of the leafs from the fall and give it an intense look before dropping it and resuming his viewing of the others.

After dropping the latest leaf he had taken he glanced toward the Queen. “You confront him before the Mirror on matters of the heart and you expect something other than unrestrained passion?” he asked idly.

“I am a Queen of the Fae, I expect, and receive much,” Mab declared fiercely.

“But not from all of mine,” Finvarra told her, taking another leaf. “Your Fae has told his child, he helps protect the Sidhe from the dark ones,” he added holding out the leaf toward her.

“The child has powers, he does not…He has done so much for the boy,” Mab admitted, taking the leaf and looking into it. “A boy that may follow his father into my court,” she speculated, tapping the leaf with her finger tip, covering it with frost for a moment.

“You would help him. After his actions,” Finvarra said, heat entering his voice.

“You spoke the truth, your Wyld ones do not answer to me, and neither do my Sidhe answer to you,” Mab answered coolly.

Finvarra narrowed his eyes at her for a moment before returning to his leaves.

***

Sookie let out a cry as she watched Jason be thrown by Llamhigyn Y Dwr, tumbling in the dirt. As Jason struggled to get up the, Water Leaper turned toward Sookie. The tongue almost shot right through her wall of light, stopping only when Jason smacked the frog with a fallen tree truck.

The wall of light held but weakened around the edges enough for one of the Gwyllgi to charge at Joshua, Hoyt, and Claude who were still by the tree. They were protected just enough by the light to keep them safe but not enough for them to risk making a break past both Gwyllgi that guarded them.

Joshua raised his hand to try to cast a wall of light but the field of light was faint and dispersed, offering no barrier to the dark dog. It easily dodged Hoyt’s kick, to flank the adults. Keeping the mortal between itself and Claude, it lunged at Joshua’s throat.

“Not mine,” Claude yelled, diving forward, trying to shield Joshua even as he reflexively threw out his hand.

Only this time something happened. A ball of shadow burst forth from his hand slamming into the dogfae and sending it backward, tumbling right to Pam’s feet.

“A gift for me? You shouldn’t have,” Pam said snapping the fae’s neck before looking at Claude, “Mind telling me why you waited so long to start doing that?” she demanded to know.

“Things change,” Claude remarked, sending a blast of shadowed light at the last remaining Gwyllgi with a grin, “Joshua, stay near Sookie,” he ordered marching forward and herding the dog way from the others.

Joshua didn’t move until Hoyt give him a light shove on his shoulder. “Stay safe,” Hoyt told the teen, holding up the stick he’d grabbed and turning towards the two remaining dark ones he could see, as Joshua joined Sookie, still staring at Claude wide eyed.

That is when Diana entered the fray; she had followed the other fae from above and stayed out of it at first, hidden by the high leaves and branches of the trees. But when she saw Hoyt standing alone, unguarded by any fae, she acted.

She dove right for him, hitting him with a wave of green energy that sent him tumbling across what had become the battlefield, away from the Sidhe who could shield him. She followed to charge again but pulled herself back just in time to dodge the stick that Hoyt swung toward her.

“You,” Hoyt said in surprise, remembering her as she darted back, using the time he’d bought to get to his feet.

“Yes, mortal, me,” she hissed as she blasted at him with a tight ball of green light.

Hoyt barely managed to dodge it, ducking behind a tree as he called out, “The King let you live, why don’t you just, you know, live your life,” he asked, sticking his head out to look at her and dive from the tree when he saw she was going to blast it.

“My family is dead. If I could have burnt the Throne they would have died for a reason but you stopped me,” Diana ranted, shooting off balls of green light randomly toward Hoyt as she did so, “they died and I still failed, because of you.”

“Fuck,” Hoyt swore, tumbling to the ground to keep from being hit by any of the balls of light flying toward him, glancing around for anyone who could help.

Jason was still fighting the giant frog along with his near twin. The frog was strong and fast enough to still be able to keep harassing Sookie while fighting off both the other Fae, forcing Sookie to keep up her light to protect herself, Joshua and Pam.

Hoyt was on his own, so he charged.

Diana saw him diving toward her and she let out another blast, catching Hoyt in the shoulder. 

He grunted in pain but he didn’t let it stop him. He propelled himself forward and into the Dark One sending them both to the ground.

From across the field Jason heard Hoyt and watched his lover take the hit before tackling the fae. It was only the ever present tongue of Llamhigyn Y Dwr that kept him from rushing to help Hoyt. But he had to trust Hoyt to look after himself until he could finish this fight.

Which is when Jason stepped up his game and this time when the tongue lashed out toward him he didn’t just smack it away or dodge it like he had been. He grabbed it and yanked back, hard just as Claude went for one of its wings.

Llamhigyn Y Dwr’s cry of pain echoed for miles.

Everyone turned toward it, even Diana and Hoyt stopped in their struggle long enough to watch the water leaper rearing back in agony, half its tongue in Jason’s hand, black-green blood gushing from the dark wyld one’s mouth. The same liquid flowed from it’s now misshapen wing that hung limp next to Claude.

Jason barely took another step toward Llamhigyn Y Dwr before Finvarra appeared in a whirl of fall leaves. “Yield to the will of your King and Master and his Sgiath, Llamhigyn Y Dwr, or die as have the other Dark Ones that stood beside you this day,” he ordered, glaring at the Water Leaper.

Llamhigyn Y Dwr’s body was racked by a trembles as it croaked its plea for mercy, barely able to raise itself on its legs before crashing back to the ground.

“Return to your island. Do nothing but wait and I will speak with these later,” The Master of the Wyldfae ordered, waving a hand and causing a swarm of red and golden leaves to rise from the ground and surround the beast. Then a gust of wind whisked them away, Llamhigyn Y Dwr nowhere in sight.

“Someone going to tell me who the leaf master is and why he wasn’t here twenty minutes ago,” Pam asked the crowd, eyeing the Autumn King.

Sookie’s whispered, “Pam,” giving the Vampire a gestures to be quiet but no one noticed or paid either of them any mind as that is when Diana chose to act again.

“No, no... you... no not again- no,” Diana screamed a yelled, her hands glowing pale green as her whole body shook with rage. “I will have blood, someone will die,” she spat out glaring at Finvarra then Jason but it wasn’t until her eyes fell to Hoyt, mere feet from her that her lips twisted into a smile. 

She dove at him.

Hoyt didn’t even have a chance to move, he knew this was it as her glowing hands reached at his chest, then they stopped, a hair’s breadth from his shirt, his skin.

“I’ve told you not to touch him before,” Jason reminder her, his hand clamped around her neck. He flung her into the trunk of a tree next to him. “Last time you hurt Hoyt my King saved you life, this time he won’t,” he made clear. 

Diana didn’t even have time to see what was happening before Jason’s fist had planted itself into the tree, passing through her chest to get there.

Jason didn’t watch as she slowly slumped to the ground the glow in her eyes fading. He was already back at Hoyt’s side.

“You okay, Bubba?” Jason asked, kneeling down next to his love.

Hoyt couldn’t answer at first. Again he was seeing both Jasons, the one he grew up with and the one that looked every bit the Wyldfae Hoyt knew his husband was. But this time they _weren’t_ two different Jason, they were just Jason, even his eyes both looked timeless and dangerous but still held love and worry, in one set of eyes.

“Bubba?” Jason repeated, lightly cupping Hoyt’s face with one hand, “She didn’t…” he trailled off, his eyes darting all over Hoyt’s body.

“I’m fine,” Hoyt answered, startled into talking at the increased worry he saw, “She didn’t hu-“ his words were cut off with a hiss when he moved his shoulder, feeling the effects of the one hit he had taken.

“Hoyt, damn, she’s lucky she’s already-- Do we need this looked at?” Jason asked concerned, turning to Finvarra.

“It will leave no lasting harm but I will see to it still. Deal with the others,” Finvarra ordered, kneeling by Hoyt’s side.

Jason was hesitant to go but another go from Finvarra and Sookie waving him over finally got him to move.

“Remove the shirt Fortenberry,” Finvarra ordered, running his rough bark-like hands over the shoulder once Hoyt had slowly pulled his shirt off that shoulder. 

Hoyt had expected it to hurt but rather than feeling coarse, his fingers felt soothing, relaxing his shoulder. “Thank you,” he said after a moment, casting a look toward Jason, watching him.

“You see him differently now,” Finvarra said, his tone amused.

“Yes how—what--changed in him?” Hoyt asked, still watching Jason.

“In my Sgiath, nothing. The change was in you,” Finvarra answered, sitting back, pleased with Hoyt’s shoulder.

“That’s a lot better,” Hoyt said, stretching it before looking back at Finvarra. “What do you mean me?” he asked.

“It was never truly my Wyld one that was divided, but your view of him through your bond. You came to see him as two for reasons I do not understand. But it would seem Tatiana understands mortals better than I had thought she did. Her actions before the Mirror with you and my Sgiath seem to have helped you deal with whatever mortal reason caused you to see your beloved as two being,” Finvarra explained before standing up. “But that is enough, mortal, tell my Sgiath I will see him in the field of frost for the last dance of winter.”

And with those words, Finvarra vanished, no leaves or flashes of light or doorways, just not there any longer. Hoyt blinked. He wasn’t sure if he was ever going to get used to things like that being part of his life.

***

“It seems Finvarra’s champion was well chosen after all,” Mab remarked, sitting beside Tatiana in her glade of endless summer.

“Yes, it would seem he is very capable when properly motivated,” Tatiana agreed, dropping a handful of flower petals onto the shimmering lake before her, banishing the last image of the fight which she had been watching.

“Motivated by love perhaps?” Mab asked, raising an eye brow as she gave the other Sidhe a look.

“There are few things more motivating,” Tatiana pointed out.

Mab leaned back and studied Tatiana for a long moment. Tatiana responded by picking a seed from the air and growing it into blossoming flower with a smile.

“Why?” the Queen of Winter asked at last.

“Sometimes even Finvarra needs to be reminded of the weaknesses of his Wyldfae. Lest Autumn become too much like Spring,” the Queen of Summer answered, throwing the flower to the wind.

***

“Well that was fun, I can tell the King everything’s been dealt with?”

“Yes, I don’t think that thing is coming back, what was it anyways?” Sookie answered Pam before looking at Claude and Jason as he joined them.

“A big fucking pain. I can’t believe he’s letting the frog live,” Jason frowned, folding his arms with a huff.

“I’m sure he had his reasons,” Sookie offered weakly, clearly not believing it herself.

“Llamhigyn Y Dwr is a creature of ancient legend. You do not kill those lightly,” Claude said entering the conversation.

“Maybe,” Jason said, glancing over toward Hoyt and Finvarra just as the King was standing to leave.

“Well, whatever his reasons, if that… _thing_ shows up again, Eric and I will do more than watch,” Pam informed them. “But now I need my beauty sleep and it’s almost 3.” And with that Pam vanished in a blur.

“Why do you spend time with such vile creatures?” Claude asked, looking at Sookie, bewildered.

“They are-“ Sookie started to answer, but Jason didn’t let her finish.

“Oh yes they are,” Jason made very clear. “Oh one or two might be fine but on the whole, those fuckers are well…fuckers.”

“Jason, they aren’t all that bad,” Sookie said with a frown. “And you are going to give Claude the wrong idea about them.”

“Have no worries, my sister has seen to my feeling for such dark beasts,” Claude informed them with an amused smile. 

“Your sister. Oh-Claudine is going to be so pissed at me. She came looking for you- damn I told her I’d tell her the moment I heard anything about where you were. Claudine!” Sookie explained before yelling into the air.

“I wouldn’t expect any response,” Claude said, looking to where Finvarra had been standing.

“What? Why wouldn’t-“ Sookie began to asked when a cry interrupted her.

“Claude,” Claudine was calling out, loud and filled with emotions, before the glare that she had appeared in had faded. “You’re alive. I was so worried.” She added, embracing Claude tightly.

“This is unexpected,” was all Claude said in return as he let his sister hold him and even half hugged her in return.

“Guys? Shouldn’t we find out if Andy and Kenya are okay first? Then have this talk somewhere else,” Hoyt suggested, joining the group just in time to see Claudine arrive. “Say someplace with food, because I’m hungry,” he added, stepping toward Joshua and Jason and pulling an arm around his love and then the teen.

Joshua let him.

***Epilog***

“Oh hell. Why do I have a feeling I’m about to hear some more tall tails about fairyland,” Arlene said as she watched the door of Merlotte’s open despite the closed sign hanging from said door. .

“Fucking fairyland and the fairies…oh present company excluded,” Andy added, glancing between Jason, Sookie, Claudine and Claude, his gaze suspicious when they landed on the latter siblings. 

“I’ll fuck whoever can just pour me a drink,” Kenya barked plopping down at the bar. “And don’t give me any crap about it being past last call,” she included.

Andy sat right next to her as Tommy set two glasses down before them. “You didn’t miss a week did you? Because I’m sure I just saw you all last night…well not all of you,” he amended looking at Jason’s doppelganger with a puzzled look.

“You must clean up nice,” Alrene added, taking a good look at Claude, “maybe the whole fae thing isn’t all bad after all if they make twins. You’re a lucky man there, Hoyt,” the waitress said, giving Hoyt a wink before looking back at Claude. “...you are a fairy right? Because the dirty thing is making me wonder,” she pointed out, waving her finger around Claude’s grimy clothing and body.

“Being trapped in the mortal realm is going to be tiresome,” Claude said by way of not answering while he followed Jason, Hoyt, Joshua and Sookie to one of the tables not far from the bar.

“Look I know it’s late but there’s always something sitting back there,” Sookie said, falling into the chair.

“For you, always. And any friend of yours,” Sam said stepping out of the hall that lead to his office.

“Good, then can someone just bring out the grub?” Joshua demanded.

“Teenagers,” Sookie said amused, watching Joshua.

“But he has a point. Eating would be good,” Hoyt added, patting his belly.

“We can compare notes and shit after,” Jason said in support of the idea, eyeing the kitchen.

“As you do that I will see to my brother,” Claudine said pulling Claude toward the back tables and out of hearing of the others. “You’re alive.”

“Yes, Finvarra did not just want me dead. He wanted me stripped of my powers and stranded in this realm, My lady agreed with him…for a time,” Claude explained, calling forth a small ball of shadow.

“She had not relented completely. She told me I would be called to you soon but I still had to wait for Sookie and…” Claudine stopped, hesitant.

“What is it?” Claude asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Let me fix these, you shouldn’t be dressed so,” Claudine said pointing to his clothing, with a golden glow they, and he, become fresh, his dirty clothing and appearance gone, taking the odor with it.

“Claudine,” Claude warned, giving his sister a hard look, “what is it?”

“You…you’re still banished,” Claudine finally said.

“Ah.”

“Ah?” Claudine parroted, puzzled. “I tell you that you’re to remain in this realm you hate and you say ah?”

“I have my powers restored, and this realm isn’t without its advantages,” Claude informed her, looking over at Joshua.

“Will you tell him?” Claudine questioned when she followed his gaze.

“No, he already has a family,” Claude told her with a smile before he headed back over to join the others.

***

Hoyt smiled as he watched Jason jumping around the iced over lake, catching snowflakes along with a dozen other fae, both Sidhe and Wyldfae of all shapes and sizes.

The Winter gathering was slowly winding down but Hoyt hadn’t moved since the play and performances by the fire had finished and Jason had gotten up to mingle.

The others had mostly ignored him but he didn’t care, Jason was having fun. He was so focused on watching Jason that he didn’t realize that someone was trying to get his attention at first.

Not until he felt fur brushing around his arm did he look down to see Seanchas fluttering around, chattering wildly.

“Well hello there,” Hoyt said sitting more upright, “I didn’t think I’d see you here. I thought you had to stay near your bush,” he commented. “But it’s nice to see you.”

Seanchas just kept chattering away, his language meaning nothing to Hoyt but his meaning was clear. He thought it was nice to see Hoyt too.

***The End***


End file.
